Burning Bright: Darkness and Light
by Old Account - See Profile
Summary: There is a prophecy. As leaf-bare dies, two will come, one with the power to save the Clans, the other with the power to destroy them. When the cats in the prophecy are born, everyone thinks the savior is Brightkit and the destroyer is Darkkit. But are they correct?
1. Prologue

Burning Bright

"Help!" cried a grey tabby tom as he was swept down a fast-flowing river. Looking over his shoulder, he realized that he was almost at the edge, where the river spilled into what looked like an endless void of darkness. He pushed himself harder towards the shore, but it was too late.

"Please! Someone! Help!" he desperately yowled as he was swept over the edge. He could see nothing but darkness. But, was that a speck of light – no, a star, below him? Yes, it was. It grew larger and larger, engulfing the darkness. _Yes,_ the grey tabby thought, _I knew the stars were always with me!_ But the light had begun to burn. He cried out in pain as it scorched his fur.

Suddenly, he heard a voice whisper in his ear, even though there was no cat anywhere near him.

 _"_ _As leaf-bare dies, two will come; one with the power to save the Clans, the other with the power to destroy them,"_ it murmured. Just as the grey tabby opened his mouth to speak, everything went black.

….

The tabby awoke, panting, in his nest of bracken and feathers. _As leaf-bare dies, two will come, one with the power to save the Clans, the other with the power to destroy them- who could those cats be?_ He wondered. Then it hit him. Unless two cats joined the clans soon before newleaf came, the warning was about Moontail's kits!


	2. Allegiances

**ALLEGIANCES**

 **ShadowClan:**

Leader: Icestar-jet black she-cat with icy blue eyes and one white paw

Deputy: Adderstrike-cream tom with pale green eyes

Medicine Cats: Rainstorm-grey tabby tom with a white underbelly and blue eyes

Creamwhisker-brown and white she-cat with green eyes, former loner

(apprentice, Sloepaw)

Warriors: Houndfang-brown and white tom with amber eyes

Shredtail-dark grey tom with a white tail tip dark blue eyes

(apprentice, Sparrowpaw)

Leafdust-light brown tabby tom with green eyes

(apprentice, Snowpaw)

Jaywhisker-silver tom with black splotches and amber eyes

Breezeflight-dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Cinderclaw-pale grey she-cat with yellow eyes

Jaggeddawn-grey tabby she-cat with white feet and blue eyes

Silversong-silver she-cat with white feet and blue eyes

Firepelt-white she-cat with orange splotches and amber eyes

(apprentice, Pinepaw)

Lizardtail-black she-cat with white paws and pale green eyes

Snaketooth-pale ginger tom with one white ear and blue eyes

Whitepatch-cream tom with white patches and green eyes

Hazelthorn-ginger tom with green eyes

Apprentices: Sparrowpaw-dark brown tabby tom with green eyes

Sloepaw-black tom with a white tuft on his head and blue eyes

Snowpaw-white she-cat with green eyes

Pinepaw-yellow tom with white patches and amber eyes

Queens: Moontail-thick furred white she-cat with amber eyes (mother of Hazelthorn's kits: Brightkit, a white she-cat with blazing violet eyes, Darkkit, a black tom with amber eyes, and Brownkit, a brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes)

Greyfoot-grey she-cat with a white underbelly and dark blue eyes (mother of Whitepatch's kits, Dawnkit, a cream she-cat with amber eyes, and Redkit, a dark ginger tom)

Elders: Owlberry-yellow she-cat with white ears, one green eye, and one amber eye

Sunshade-dark ginger tom with green eyes

 **ThunderClan:**

Leader: Finchstar-pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Deputy: Oaktooth-brown tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: Bluefire- blue-grey she-cat with blazing amber eyes

 **WindClan:**

Leader: Amberstar-flame-colored ginger tom with green eyes

Deputy: Ravenflight-black tom with green eyes

Medicine Cat: Larkwing-grey tabby tom with green eyes

 **RiverClan:**

Leader: Darkstar-black she-cat with a white tail tip and blue eyes

Deputy: Spiketail-dark grey tom with green eyes

Medicine Cats: Echosnout-black and white she-cat with blue eyes

Cloudberry-long furred white she-cat with yellow eyes

 **Cats Outside the Clans**

Aspen-red-brown tom with amber eyes

Flutter-sturdy brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Shine-pale white and grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Dragonfly-pale grey and black tabby she-cat with green eyes

This story is set around the time when Mapleshade was born. All matters discussed in this story are fictional, and any resemblance to anything, living, dead, or inanimate is purely coincidental.


	3. The Birth

"The kits are coming!" yowled Hazelthorn, jerking Creamwhisker out of her sleep. Hurriedly, she nudged Rainstorm, her mentor, on the scruff.

"Huh? What's happening?" he snored, slowly standing up.

"Moontail is having her kits! We need to go help!" mewed Creamwhisker. Together they ran to the nursery, where Moontail lay, purring to her mate, Hazelthorn, in between bursts of pain.

"I'm going to have the kit…that will save the Clans…we will be remembered forever as its parents…" she murmured.

"Now, um, try not to get your hopes up high. Just because the kit has the power to save the Clans does not mean it will. And you are also going to have the kit with the power to…"

"I know, I know," Moontail replied, "But what kind of kit would want to destroy the clans?"

Just as Creamwhisker opened her mouth to reply, Moontail shuddered violently, and yowled in pain. Rainstorm gave her a stick to bite, which Moontail crushed in one bite. A kit slid out of her, then another.

"You're going to have one more!" Rainstorm called out. Just then, Moontail let out the worst, most bloodcurdling screech Creamwhisker had ever heard. It reminded her of when her sister Rosemary had given birth, when blood had stained her paws and – no. Creamwhisker was not going to think about that. It was different this time. She knew what she was doing. Didn't she?

"I-I'm-BURNING!" Moontail wailed, bringing Creamwhisker's attention back to the present situation. Suddenly, Moontail's fur seemed to blaze with light, and the final kit slid out, a pure white she-cat. Moontail's fur stopped glowing, and she began to examine her kits. There were two she-cats and a tom.

"They're beautiful." sighed Moontail. Hazelthorn nudged the tom, a jet-black cat, who swiped at Hazethorn's cheek. He then looked at the white she-cat. Her fuzz seemed to glow in the morning sunlight.

"Why don't we name the white she-cat Brightkit and the tom Darkkit?" asked Hazelthorn.

"Oh, yes. Those names are perfect." purred Moontail.

"What about the other kit?" prompted Creamwhisker.

"Oh! Right! Um…what about Brownkit?" Moontail responded, looking at the third kit, a brown tabby she-cat.

"Okay!" Hazelthorn mewed, as Rainstorm and Creamwhisker exited the nursery. As Creamwhisker glanced at the kits one last time, a realization hit her.

One of these kits, one of these innocent balls of fuzz, had the power to destroy the Clans. Creamwhisker silently vowed to do everything she could to make sure the kit grew up happily, or at least normally, with no reason to destroy the Clans.


	4. Parallel Lives-Part 1

"Do you think she has some kind of power that makes her invincible?"

"Maybe. Or maybe she can fly or something. That would be awesome!"

"Well, she's got to be special. She even looks prophesized. I mean, she has violet eyes, for StarClan's sake!"

Brightkit grinned as she stepped out of the nursery, hearing her clanmates' usual chatter. Noticing that Dawnkit, Redkit, and Brownkit were playing moss-ball near the fresh-kill pile, she hurried over to join them.

"Hey Brightkit! Do you want to play?" Redkit mewed, bouncing over to Brightkit. Suddenly Brownkit tripped on a squirrel tail while running after the clump of moss they were playing with. She fell onto a mouse, squishing it into the ground.

"That's enough, kits," Brightkit looked up to see the voice coming from Creamwhisker. "You shouldn't be playing by the fresh-kill pile. Why don't you go play with Darkkit? He's sitting next to the warriors' den." As the three kits ran off, Brightkit saw Creamwhisker staring at Darkkit, as usual. Creamwhisker was always talking to him or trying to get the other kits to play with him, and Brightkit had no idea why. Also, Creamwhisker never seemed to like her very much, which was very strange. She was destined to save the Clans, for StarClan's sake! Whatever. As most of her Clanmates said, Creamwhisker was just a loner pretending to be a Clan cat, and she had no idea what she was doing.

"What are you kits doing?" asked Greyfoot, jerking Brightkit out of her thoughts.

"We're going to go play with Darkkit." Dawnkit replied sincerely. Greyfoot's eyes widened in horror.

"No. Not Darkkit. You can play with any kit in this Clan, except him. The same goes for you, Redkit, and I'd advise Brightkit and Brownkit to stay away from him, too. You do not play with Darkkit. You do not share prey with Darkkit. You do not talk to Darkkit. Do you understand?" Greyfoot meowed.

"Yes, we do." Redkit mewed softly.

"Good. Now, Brightkit, can you go tell Darkkit that my kits will no longer be playing with him?" Greyfoot replied. Brightkit nodded solemnly and slowly walked to the spot where Darkkit was sitting, eating a mouse. He noticed Brightkit almost immediately, and his fur bristled.

"What is it?" he asked, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"I just came to tell you that Dawnkit and Redkit are not allowed to play with you anymore." Brightkit responded. Quickly, she ran away as Darkkit glared at her. Brightkit didn't know what that was all about. Greyfoot's decision wasn't her fault. Darkkit should be lucky that Icestar let him stay in this Clan, let alone the camp. After all, he was destined to try to destroy the Clans.


	5. Parallel Lives-Part 2

Darkkit glared at Brightkit as she ran off. Who did she think she was, just prancing over to him and telling him Redkit and Dawnkit would not be playing with him, without any sign of sympathy? Yes, he had been rejected, even feared many times before, but Brightkit could at least try to make him feel better. It wasn't his fault the dumb prophecy said Darkkit had the power to destroy the clans.

Shrugging off his anger, he ran to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed a plump shrew.

"What do you think you are doing?" Darkkit looked up to see Houndfang snarling at him, flanked by his son Sloepaw.

"I swear, this is the first piece of prey I have taken!" Darkkit cried, despite knowing that he would lose his shrew anyway, and probably have to clean the elders' den, too.

"Yeah, right. You go put that shrew back for someone who really needs it. Someone who earned it." Sloepaw snarled.

Anger boiled in Darkkit's veins. He was tired of being walked over like grass.

"Who, you? I thought kits and elders were supposed to eat first! Well, it's not like you follow the code anyway. You just sit in camp, ignoring Creamwhisker's instructions and stuffing your face!" He hissed.

"Do not speak to my son that way!" Houndfang yowled, striking Darkkit with his paw. Darkkit tumbled to the ground, as Sloepaw clawed his muzzle. Suddenly, Icestar leapt at Sloepaw and dragged him away from Darkkit, as Creamwhisker did the same thing to Houndfang.

"What in the name of StarClan is going on?" Icestar snarled. "No, I am not taking any excuses from you." She hissed as Sloepaw opened his jaws to respond. "You attacked a helpless kit. Sloepaw, you will be the last to take prey until further notice. Houndfang, come to my den. _Now._ " Without a word, Houndfang trudged after her.

Creamwhisker led Darkkit into her den, and began to look at the scratches on his muzzle. Darkkit barely noticed. He was too angry at his Clanmates to care. No one but Icestar and Creamwhisker had helped him.

"I know you're angry, but things will change once you become a warrior. Everyone will see your loyalty then. Plus, not all of us are like Houndfang. Icestar, Adderstrike, Rainstorm, Moontail, Hazelthorn, Cinderclaw, Breezeflight, and I will side with you if things get very bad. It has happened before." Creamwhisker mewed, seeming to sense his anger.

"Yeah, but Shredtail, Snowpaw, Silversong, Firepelt, and Sunshade hate me, and everyone else is afraid of me." Darkkit hissed. At least he had Creamwhisker's kindness to rely on. She had always talked to him whenever he was lonely and helped him whenever he needed help.

"Don't worry. Everything will turn out fine in the end. Anyway, Redkit and Dawnkit are playing over by the apprentice's den. Why don't you join them?" Creamwhisker murmured.

"I can't. Greyfoot banned them from playing with me." Darkkit responded glumly.

" _What?_ Can you stay here for a moment? I need to go talk to Greyfoot." Creamwhisker meowed, as she exited the den. Darkkit lay down in Rainstorm's nest, his scratches stinging, and soon his anger was replaced by a wave of tiredness as his eyes closed.


	6. Parallel Lives-Part 3

"Dawnkit, from this day on you will be known as Dawnpaw. Your mentor will be Jaggeddawn." Icestar meowed, ending Dawnpaw and Redpaw's apprentice ceremony. The two apprentices proudly sat with their mentors, Jaggeddawn and Snaketooth, and even Darkkit seemed happy for them. At least, that was how Brownkit saw it.

"Dawnpaw! Redpaw!" chanted every cat in the clearing. Every cat but one. Houndfang. Brownpaw bristled. She hated how Houndfang and Sloepaw always seemed to make Darkkit feel like he was unwanted. Didn't they realize it would only give Darkkit a reason to destroy the Clans? Worshipping Brightkit didn't help much, either.

"Why can't Brightkit be an apprentice now? She needs as much training as she can get if she is going to save the Clans!" Houndfang cried. Murmurs spread around the clearing. Silversong, Sloepaw, and most of the other Brightkit-loving mouse-brains nodded in approval, but both medicine cats and a few of the warriors glared at them disapprovingly.

"She can't be an apprentice. First, she is only five moons old. Second, we don't even know if she is the cat in the prophecy. Third, it would send a message to the other Clans that we value vague assumptions more than the warrior code!" hissed Creamwhisker.

"We didn't ask you, loner." Sloepaw snarled. Darkkit growled and charged at Sloepaw, and it looked like there would be a fight unless someone did something.

"Enough! Brightkit will not be an apprentice until she is six moons old. Houndfang, take Silversong, Breezefilght, and Shredtail on a hunting patrol. Sloepaw, could you go change the bedding in the elders' den?" Icestar yowled, and the cats dispersed, some to the forest, some to their dens. But their anger had not been forgotten.

For the next few days, the cats of ShadowClan seemed to separate into two groups; the Brightkit-worshippers, who followed her around teaching he hunting and battle moves, and the rest of ShadowClan. With a twinge of anger, Brownkit noticed that her parents were with Houndfang and his mouse-brains. Brownkit sighed. She should have known this would happen one day. Although they had never said so, Moontail and Hazelthorn had always seemed to be more interested in Brightkit than in their other two kits. _Why do things have to be this way?_ Brownkit wondered as she spied on Brightkit as she was practicing her hunting crouch. Brownkit tried to imitate it, but her legs never seemed to move the right way. Suddenly, she heard a screech of anger.

"What are you doing here? Get away from Brightkit!" Houndfang screeched at Darkkit, whose tail lashed in anger as he backed away. Apparently, that was not good enough for Houndfang, and he grabbed Darkkit and threw him across the camp. Fury clouded Brownkit's senses, and she hurled herself at Houndfang.

"Why can't you learn to be quiet and accept Darkkit? You are a cowardly piece of fox-dung that can't accept that something has happened that he can't control!" she spat, clawing Houndfang's pelt. Then, before anyone could tell her to stop, she ran to the nursery, hoping that her Clanmates would see what a mouse-brain Houndfang was.


	7. The Ceremony

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Clanrock!" Brightkit felt a bolt of excitement sear through her as she heard Icestar's call. Dashing out of the elder's den with Sunshade and Owlberry, Brightkit bolted to the edge of the clearing where the Clanrock lay. She sat down next to Moontail and Brownkit, and in front of her she could see Houndfang giving her an encouraging smile. She smiled back, inwardly thanking him for all the times he had supported her, and trained her as a kit. It had all led up to this one big moment: her apprentice ceremony.

…

Brownkit giggled as Moontail gave her one last lick on her pelt.

"That tickles!" she protested, watching as the last of the stragglers approached the Clanrock. Brightkit, however, tried to look dignified and mature as Moontail gave her a few licks, but to Brownkit she just looked silly. As the last cat standing, Firepelt, sat down next to her brother, Whitepatch, Icestar began to speak.

"Cats of ShadowClan, today we are blessed with three new apprentices. Brownkit, come forward…" Icestar trailed off as she realized no one was listening to her. They were all looking at Houndfang, Sunshade, Firepelt, and countless others who had stood up, bristling.

"You can't possibly be making that-that _thing_ an apprentice!" Sunshade snarled, looking at Darkkit like he was a pile of fox-dung that had rolled into camp.

"Oh, so now you're afraid that Darkkit's going to scratch your sorry face for what you did to him as a kit?" Dawnpaw hissed. Several cats nodded approval, but most of the Clan seemed to side with Sunshade.

"Enough!" Icestar yowled. "Sunshade, this is my Clan, and if you don't like how it is run you can leave!" For a moment, it looked like Sunshade would leave, but he sat down slowly, bristling, as the rest of his followers followed suit.

"Brownkit, step forward." Icestar repeated. For a split second she looked into Brownkit's eyes, flinching as a sudden flash of pain burned through Brownkit's face. "From this day forward you shall be known as Brownpaw. Cinderclaw will be your mentor."

…

Brightkit gazed at Icestar as she spoke. What kind of mentor would she give her? Icestar would be a fool not to give her Houndfang. But, after all, she was going to make Darkkit an apprentice, so maybe she would mentor Brightkit herself.

"Brightkit, come forward." Icestar meowed, as Brightkit approached the Clanrock. "From this day on you shall be known as Brightpaw. Your mentor will be Adderstrike." Brightpaw looked at Adderstrike, stunned that she was only the deputy's apprentice. She had been so sure that she would be apprenticed to Houndfang, the cat who had always been there for her, or at least the leader of ShadowClan. Icestar was a fool, and one day the whole Clan would know it.

…

"Darkkit, come forward." Icestar mewed, as whispers erupted throughout the clearing. As he stepped towards the Clanrock, he was surprised to see a look of sadness on Creamwhisker's face.

"Darkkit, from this day on you shall be known as Darkpaw. Your mentor will be Houndfang." Darkpaw stepped back, horrified. He realized that Creamwhisker had known who his mentor would be. Anger coursed through his veins. Deaf to the cheers of his Clanmates, he bolted towards the forest, unable to stay in that Clan of traitors any longer.


	8. Another Reason to Stay

"Is he awake yet?"

"I think so. I'm not sure."

Darkpaw groaned as his eyes opened. Looking around, he saw a small, unfamiliar bush above him, not the warm, safe nursery. Where was he? Memories flashed into his mind. He was running into the woods, knowing that he had no idea how to take care of himself but still running, wanting to get away from that horrible place they called ShadowClan. But then the fox had come and Darkpaw had forced himself to run harder than ever, even when he had no energy left. The last thing he could remember was collapsing with exhaustion, barely able to drag himself under a bush.

"You awake?" Houndfang pushed his way into the bush, glaring at Darkpaw. Houndfang signaled for Darkpaw to follow him, then crawled out from under the bush. With a reluctant sigh Darkpaw followed him out into a clearing, where Adderstrike was waiting.

"Look. We both know that we didn't want this, but Icestar and Creamwhisker were thinking that if I mentored you I would see that you weren't as bad as I thought you were. I probably will discover that you are worse than I thought, but I still managed to cope with it and not run away. Now, when we get back to camp, I want you to do the elders' ticks and change everyone's bedding. Everyone's except yours. And while you do that, you can apologize to everyone for running away. First, apologize to me. Now." Houndfang snapped, turning to face Darkpaw.

"I-I'm sorry." Darkpaw spat, glaring at Houndfang.

"Not like that. Like this. Houndfang, I am truly sorry for running away during my own apprentice ceremony. It was a foolish, ungrateful choice, and it will never happen again. I hope you accept my full and sincere apologies, even though I do not deserve it. That is what you will say to every cat in the camp. Exactly that." Houndfang snarled, already beginning the long walk back to camp.

It was almost Sunhigh by the time Darkpaw reached the camp, and without wasting a moment he ran into the medicine den for mouse bile.

As soon as he saw Creamwhisker, his pelt prickled with anger, and he began saying the apology as fast as he could so he could get out sooner.

"Creamwhisker, I am truly sorry for running away during my own- "

"Oh, Darkpaw." Creamwhisker cut in. "I'm so sorry that- "

"Apprentice ceremony. It was a foolish, ungrateful choice, and- "

"Oh, Darkpaw, is that really how you feel?"

"It will never happen again."

"Darkpaw…"

"I hope you accept my full and sincere apologies, even though I do not deserve it. I need mouse bile." And, grabbing a wad of it, Darkpaw ran off to the elder's den, where Dawnpaw, Sunshade, and Owlberry were waiting.

"Oh! Darkpaw! You're back! Don't worry about the elders, I just finished doing their ticks and bedding." Dawnpaw mewed happily, seeing the mouse bile in Darkpaw's jaws. Darkpaw's eyes widened in surprise. Ever since Greyfoot had banned her kits from interacting with Darkpaw in any way whatsoever, Redpaw had been avoiding Darkpaw, so Darkpaw had guessed Dawnpaw would act the same. With a purr of happiness, Darkpaw began to rush through an apology to Dawnpaw and the elders, but Owlberry cut him off.

"You don't need to apologize to us, Darkpaw. I would have run off too if I got a mentor as mean to me as Houndfang is to you!" Owlberry purred. Sunshade glared at Darkpaw and opened his jaws to argue, but Owlberry gave her mate a nudge and he shut his jaws.

"Th-thank you." Darkpaw stuttered, amazed by Owlberry's kindness. "I have to go clean the other cats' bedding, so I have to go. Goodbye."

"Would you like me to help you?" Dawnpaw offered.

"But-but your mother…"

"I don't care. Everyone's been acting like you're a monster, and they need to look through the prophecy into the cat you really are." Darkpaw stared, spellbound, at Dawnpaw's generosity. Maybe ShadowClan wasn't as bad as Darkpaw had thought. Maybe there were more reasons than training and his siblings being there that he should stay there.

 **Author's Note: Today, in my country at least, it is Thanksgiving, so I will be stating the things I am thankful for on FanFiction. I am thankful for the people who take the time to read this story. Can you believe that I have gotten views from six different countries already? Also, I am thankful for PrincessPuffin and A Flicker Of A Bright Flame for reviewing my story, the latter author and Aspenfur for favoriting my story, and those same authors for following it. Finally, I am thankful for everyone, everywhere, for making this story possible.** **J**


	9. Hunting

"So? Leafdust and I are just friends!"

"Just friends? I saw the way you looked at him yesterday!"

"You're just jealous that someone cares about me as much as you do!"

"Will you two stop your romance problems and let us all sleep?"

Brownpaw groaned as she slowly rose from her nest. With her parents' quarreling, she hadn't slept well for the past few days. Honestly, sometimes it seemed like she was more mature than both put together! As she opened her eyes, a pang of loneliness tore through her when she noticed that Dawnpaw and Darkpaw's nests were closer together than usual, and the same went for Redpaw and Brightpaw. Pinewhisker, Sparrowfeather, and Snowtuft had become warriors the previous day, making the apprentice den seem almost empty. With a sigh, Brownpaw exited the den.

Cinderclaw was waiting by the small fresh-kill pile, which only held a frog and two voles.

"Hi Brownpaw! Today we're going to hunt with Brightpaw and Adderstrike." Cinderclaw mewed.

"Can Darkpaw and Houndfang come too?" Asked Brownpaw.

"I don't see why not. I'll go ask Houndfang." Cinderclaw responded, walking over to him. The two warriors talked for a few moments, but Brownpaw could not hear them. A heartbeat later, they walked back with Darkpaw, Adderstrike, and Brightpaw, and the patrol left without a word.

As the last of the brambles around the entrance to the woods clawed at Brownpaw's pelt, the bushes opened into a seemingly endless stretch of pine trees, and all the apprentices' eyes widened in amazement. After a short walk, Adderstrike halted, his tail straight up in the air.

"Try sniffing around the trees. What do you smell?" He meowed. At first the smell of pine trees masked all the other scents, but a few heartbeats later Brownpaw could detect the rich scent that usually accompanied a shrew. Motioning for the others to watch, Cinderclaw sank into a crouch, spotting the shrew sitting on a rock, a seed in its jaws. Cinderclaw silently padded closer until she was only a tail-length away, and leaped onto the shrew, pinning it down. She then killed it with one bite.

"Why don't you try that on some leaves?" She mewed.

The three apprentices all sank down into crouches, and practiced stalking prey while their mentors gave them advice. After being told to control her tail for what seemed to be the millionth time, Brownpaw looked up and spotted something moving in the undergrowth. It was a mouse!

"Darkpaw, why don't you try the strategy you learned on that mouse?" Houndfang suggested, spotting the mouse. With a nod of agreement, Darkpaw sank into a wobbly, unsteady crouch, his tail swinging from side to side. As he began to creep forward, he stepped on a twig, and, hearing the crunch, the mouse darted away. With an angry gleam in his eyes, Houndfang turned on his apprentice.

"I shouldn't be wasting my time on you if you can't learn!" Houndfang hissed. With that, Cinderclaw seemed to snap, and she gave him a glare.

"Oh, really? Did you catch prey the first time you went hunting? Because I remember a slightly different course of events in which you tripped over your own paws and fell into a puddle. Owlberry had to drag you out!" She snarled, as Houndfang's pelt bristled like a porcupine. With a purr of amusement, Brownpaw turned back to her crouch, enjoying this great day.


	10. Friends or worshipers?

Brightpaw yawned as she slowly rose from her nest, stretching her back until her drowsiness subsided. She then prodded Redpaw until he opened his eyes, and the two friends padded out of the apprentices' den into the camp. Brightpaw stifled a growl as she saw Cinderclaw take a frog from the fresh-kill pile. Brightpaw hadn't forgotten the day Cinderclaw had humiliated Houndfang, the cat who had trained her as a kit and never stopped encouraging her, just for scolding his apprentice. It didn't help that Darkpaw had the power to destroy the clans, either.

Darkpaw. The cat who Brightpaw knew she would have to kill someday. Sinking each claw into the ground, she remembered the times she had sought out Darkpaw to play-fight, trying to guess where his weaknesses were. Of course, it always ended the same way, with someone pulling Darkpaw off Brightpaw and telling him to stay away from her.

"Brightpaw?" Brightpaw looked up, realizing that Redpaw had asked her a question.

"Sorry. What did you say?" asked Brightpaw.

"I said that it looks like Adderstrike is making Houndfang take Darkpaw battle training. Although I am grateful that Darkpaw is leaving the camp, I wish he couldn't train like that." Redpaw responded.

"Adderstrike's a mouse-brain to do what he did. Of course, he was always like that. He once attacked a trespassing ThunderClan cat when Icestar specifically told him not to!" Silversong added, padding across the clearing.

"Let me guess, Icestar did something like that too? And Dawnpaw? And Creamwhisker? It looks like you have dirt on every cat who you don't like. If I asked about Firepelt, however, you wouldn't have any." All three cats looked up to see Adderstrike glaring at them.

"Brightpaw, you are going to be battle training with Darkpaw and Houndfang. Redpaw, your mentor is looking for you. Silversong, you are on a hunting patrol with Shredtail, Pinewhisker, and Hazelthorn." He mewed, already heading for the entrance to the woods. Brightpaw followed hesitantly, her pelt bristling at Adderstrike's cruelty to her friends.

"What ruffled your fur?" he asked, seeing Brightpaw's pelt bristle.

"In the future, I'd like you to stay away from my friends!" Brightpaw snapped.

"They aren't your friends. They're your worshippers." Adderstrike growled, a flash of-was that envy? -in his eyes. Rage coursed through Brightpaw's body and she ran ahead to the training clearing, where Houndfang and Darkpaw were waiting.

"Houndfang, have you taught Darkpaw the dodge-and-roll move?" Adderstrike asked, catching up to Brightpaw.

"No." Houndfang growled, glaring at Darkpaw as if the apprentice was going to turn into a badger and kill them all.

"Brightpaw, why don't you show him? Darkpaw, attack her." Adderstrike meowed as Darkpaw lunged at Brightpaw. Quick as a rabbit, she rolled away, intending to knock him off balance from behind, but he was too quick, and he pounced on her while she was rolling. Brightpaw felt herself being pinned down, and she looked up into the eyes of Darkpaw, the cat that she despised, the one that could destroy everything she ever knew. Fury boiled inside Brightpaw, and she tore herself from Darkpaw's grip. She lunged at him, claws unsheathed, and he was too slow to dodge. Brightpaw felt a smidgen of pride in her skills as she felt skin break under her claws, and she swiped at Darkpaw's ears until she felt herself being dragged away.

"What in the name of StarClan are you doing?" Adderstrike roared. Without a response, Brightpaw pulled herself out of his jaws and lunged at Darkpaw. Adderstrike raised a paw and gave her a hard blow that sent her flying across the clearing. She felt something strike her head, and everything went black.

…

 _"_ _Brightpaw! Come join us!" yowled Silversong, beckoning to Brightpaw. Silversong was sitting with Redpaw, Houndfang, Shredtail, Firepelt, and Snowtuft, the latter twos' bellies swollen with kits. Brightpaw raced through a patch of ferns, getting nearer and nearer to her friends. As her pelt brushed one fern, it burst into flames, and Silversong and the rest ran away._

 _"_ _Get away from me, you monster!" Redpaw snarled, looking over his shoulder at Brightpaw._

 _Adderstrike's words ran through Brightpaw's mind: They aren't your friends. They're your worshippers. Rage coursed through Brightpaw's veins, and she turned her face to the starry night sky._

 _"_ _You're just jealous that I have so many friends!" Brightpaw yowled, as her dream was engulfed in darkness._


	11. Kin against kin

"Get back, fox!"

"You're no match for us!"

Dawnpaw purred as she watched Lizardkit, Littlekit, and Gravelkit play with a clump of moss. Had she ever been that little? It seemed like a hundred seasons since she could play innocently without a single worry. Darkpaw's arrival had changed everything, twisted what Dawnpaw thought was normal into something not even her heart could understand. Speaking of Darkpaw, the apprentice was beckoning for Dawnpaw to join him for a vole.

Dawnpaw quickly walked over to Darkpaw, grimacing at the scars Brightpaw had left on his ears. Stifling a pang of anger, she recalled how Houndfang had said that Darkpaw nearly killed Brightpaw, so she was only acting in self-defense, and most of the clan had agreed with him, sparing Brightpaw from punishment.

"Silversong, take Darkpaw, Houndfang, Leafdust, and Whitepatch to patrol the WindClan border." Adderstrike meowed, just as Dawnpaw had opened her mouth to greet Darkpaw. With a grunt of annoyance, Darkpaw ran to where the rest of the patrol was waiting, talking seriously among themselves, although Dawnpaw couldn't hear them. She suddenly felt a nudge from behind, and realized that her mother, Greyfoot, was trying to get her attention. Turning around, she saw her signal for Dawnpaw to follow her, then walk into the woods, and Dawnpaw padded after her.

When they were a good distance away from the camp, Greyfoot turned to Dawnpaw with a snarl.

"What did I tell you when you were a kit? You do not play with Darkpaw. You do not share prey with Darkpaw. You do not talk to Darkpaw. And you especially do not have kits with Darkpaw!" Greyfoot hissed. Dawnpaw cocked her head, confused. Who said anything about kits? Darkpaw wasn't her mate…yet.

"Kits? I'm not even a warrior yet! And Darkpaw and I are not mates!" Dawnpaw cried.

"Oh, really? I've seen the way you look at him! And share prey with him! And talk to him!" Greyfoot snarled. Dawnpaw glared at her. She hadn't even given Darkpaw a chance! She had feared him because of something he might never do!

"Yes. I shared prey with him. I talked to him. And I will continue doing that no matter what you say! There's nothing you can do!" spat Dawnpaw, as Greyfoot gave her a smug look.

"Actually, there is something I can do. Several of us, including Silversong's patrol, are going to confront Icestar and force him to banish Darkpaw. Redpaw and I will be with them. Will you?" Greyfoot murmured, as if she was afraid someone would overhear. Not waiting for a reply, she stalked away. Dawnpaw's eyes widened in fear. At this moment, Darkpaw was in danger. She had to warn him! Running through the pines to the WindClan border, she spotted Darkpaw at the back of the patrol and signaled for him to follow her into a clump of bushes.

"Greyfoot told me that she and some other cats, including your patrol, are going to try to force Icestar to banish you! You must hide here while I go warn Icestar. Roll in the dirt to disguise your scent." She told him when he was safely hidden with her. Without another word, she ran off towards the camp, hoping she would be there in time. But by the time she arrived, she knew it was too late. The camp was a mess of fighting, screeching cats.

Throwing herself into the battle, she spotted Brightpaw and Silversong clawing at Cinderclaw, so Dawnpaw leaped at Brightpaw and swiped at her, but failed to dodge a swat that seemed to burn and draw blood at the same time. Dawnpaw swiped at her again, and Brightpaw dodged, letting Dawnpaw's claws sink in to the next cat. Redpaw. Suddenly, Dawnpaw realized that these were her Clanmates that she was fighting. Backing away, she heard a sudden cry.

"Mother! No!"

Moontail was lying in the center of the clearing, covered in blood.


	12. Grief

_No! This can't be happening!_ Brightpaw slowly backed away from Moontail, step by step. With each step, she reassured herself that Moontail would be okay, that her Clanmates would never find out whose claws made her wounds. But inside her head the same scene played over and over again.

 _Rolling away from Dawnpaw's swat, Brightpaw, intending to attack her from behind, noticed Houndfang collapsing beneath one of his own Clanmate's feet. Anger boiled inside of Brightpaw, and a red haze clouded her vision as she clawed and bit the cat who had hurt him without mercy._

 _"_ _Brightpaw! What are you doing?" a sudden wail erupted from the cat she was fighting, and Brightpaw stepped back, recognizing the voice of her mother. But it was too late. Moontail fell to the ground, her eyes closed._

 _"_ _Mother! No!" Brightpaw cried, hoping that this was just another one of the nightmares she had been having so frequently. But it wasn't. Everything was ruined, and it was all her fault._

"Please hang on just a while longer. Everything will be fine, I promise. You just have to survive." Brightpaw whispered as Rainstorm dragged Moontail into the medicine den. Moontail would survive. Everything would be fine. Wouldn't it?

Brightpaw waited at the entrance to the medicine den until sunhigh, waiting for some kind of news about her mother, while the hours went by without Brightpaw really paying attention. Darkpaw came back. Icestar talked about peace and friendship and all that junk. Three times Sloepaw had tried to check the rest of the warriors for wounds, but all three times Brightpaw chased him back into his den, hissing at him that Moontail needed him more than her Clanmates did. Those Clanmates, however, were all sitting in the clearing gossiping about whatever was going on. At one point Redpaw tried to give Brightpaw a mouse, which she promptly gave to Sloepaw to give to Moontail. Of course, he probably ate it anyway, not caring that Moontail was dying. Nobody cared. Not even Brownpaw. She just sat there eating prey like nothing was wrong.

Brightpaw impatiently clawed at the ground, anger clouding her senses. She wanted something to do. Someone to fight. Maybe when another cat tried to sympathize with her she would claw their face. A cough behind her alerted her to the fact that Adderstrike was waiting for her to turn around and talk to him. Well, she wouldn't give him that pleasure. She sat where she was until Adderstrike walked in front of her and began to speak in soft, gentle mews that made Brightpaw want to throw up.

"Brightpaw, I don't think all this grief is good for you. There is a gathering tonight, and I would like you and Brownpaw to go. It will take your minds off Moontail." He mewed. Brightpaw narrowed her eyes. She didn't want to take her mind off Moontail, but the thought of a gathering made her feel giddy inside. Suddenly, there was a yowl from the medicine den.

"Moontail is awake!"


	13. The Gathering

"As you all know, there will be a gathering tonight. Creamwhisker and Sloepaw will be going, while Rainstorm stays behind to look after Moontail. Owlberry, Sunshade, Lizardtail, Snowtuft, Cinderclaw, Houndfang, Greyfoot, Redpaw, Dawnpaw, Brightpaw, and Brownpaw will come," Icestar meowed from the Clanrock. Despite Moontail's injury, Brownpaw felt excitement bubble inside her when she heard her name get called.

"A gathering! Won't that be fun?" Brightpaw mewed excitedly. Brownpaw's eyes narrowed in confusion. For the past few hours Brightpaw had been lost in her worry about Moontail, and angrily chased off Brownpaw whenever she tried to talk to her.

"Look. Moontail told me not to get caught in worry and grief. I can't afford to spend time like that if I'm going to save the Clans." Brightpaw murmured, seeing Brownpaw's confusion.

"If you two could start paying attention, we have a gathering to go to!" Leafdust snapped, as Brownpaw realized that the rest of the cats going to the gathering were waiting for them. She and Brightpaw hurried over to the rest of the group, and they left at a signal from Icestar.

A prickling sensation washed over Brownpaw as she realized that someone was staring at her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Darkpaw glancing longingly at the group as they left. For a moment Brownpaw met his glance, and before her eyes his pelt changed from black to dark ginger, and his eyes changed from amber to green, until Brownpaw was looking at a perfect replica of Sunshade.

"You can't possibly be making that-that _thing_ an apprentice!" he snarled. Brownpaw fled in horror and confusion, bumping into Brightpaw.

"Did you see that?" Brownpaw whispered.

"See what?" Brightpaw asked.

"I-it was Darkpaw…only he wasn't Darkpaw. He was Sunshade, and he-he snarled something about making someone an apprentice…" she trailed off, seeing Brightpaw's look of confusion. _She probably thinks I'm crazy. I would think I'm crazy._

"Darkpaw must be a shape-shifter or something like that!" Brightpaw exclaimed, probably recalling the tale Owlberry had told them about the evil cat Ripplefang who could turn into a hawk. Brownpaw frowned. Something seemed wrong with that explanation. If she had seen Darkpaw transform by looking into his eyes, would Brightpaw transform if she looked into hers?

Giving her idea a try, Brownpaw met Brightpaw's eyes, and just like Darkpaw, Brightpaw's eyes and pelt changed until she resembled Moontail.

"You cannot be burdened like this if you are going to save the Clans," she whispered. A theory suddenly clicked in Brownpaw's mind. What if she was seeing the memories of the cats that met her eyes?

…

It was moonhigh by the time the patrol arrived at Fourtrees, and with a flick of her tail, Icestar and her group entered the clearing.

Brownpaw had never seen so many cats before. The whole clearing seemed to glow with hundreds of eyes, and pelts seemed to sprout from the ground itself. Sitting next to Cinderclaw and a blue-grey she-cat, she tried to shrink into her pelt as Cinderclaw pointed out each Clan's leader.

"That's Finchstar," she mewed, pointing at an old pale brown tabby she-cat. "She is the second oldest of all four leaders. The one standing next to her is Darkstar, the youngest leader, and the smartest. Luckily, we don't share a border with RiverClan! The last one is Amberstar, the oldest of the leaders. He's older than WindClan's eldest elders!"

"Let the gathering begin!" Amberstar yowled suddenly, causing Brownpaw's fur to fluff up like a porcupine's. "WindClan has been doing well, despite frequent prey-stealing by Thunderclan!"

"That's ridiculous! We don't even share a border!" Finchstar cried in protest.

"We have two new warriors, Midgepelt and Cricketleap!" Amberstar continued, ignoring Finchstar.

"Midgepelt! Cricketleap!" chanted the other cats.

"Also, Lichenbreeze has had a kit: Whitekit. WindClan is strong, and our warriors are not afraid to fight for their Clan!" Amberstar finished.

"ThunderClan has also been doing well, and our warriors have been catching enough prey in our woods to feed the Clan, no prey-stealing needed. We have three new apprentices: Birchpaw, Frecklepaw, and Maplepaw," Finchstar yowled.

"Birchpaw! Frecklepaw! Maplepaw!" the other cats cheered. Brownpaw felt a surge of nervousness as she realized she would be announced tonight, as the past two gatherings had been canceled because of clouds covering the moon.

"Our former deputy, Oaktooth, has been replaced with . . ." Finchstar continued.

"Did you really think you could get away without telling us how Oaktooth broke the warrior code?" Darkstar interrupted. "How he let two of our kits, Marshkit and Streamkit, drown in the river?"

"That is true. We have replaced him with Mistshine." Finchstar gestured to a small, sickly looking cat that seemed to be older than the moor.

"How did he get picked as deputy?" Brownpaw muttered.

" _StarClan_ wanted it to be that way. I don't think they have to explain their will to apprentices like you." The blue-grey cat hissed.

"And they explained it to you?" Brownpaw asked.

"I think being medicine cat of ThunderClan is enough to qualify for an explanation." The cat growled.

"So, you're…" Brownpaw wondered, trying to remember who the medicine cat of ThunderClan was.

"I'm Bluefire. Remember that," Bluefire snarled.

"That ends the gathering!" Darkstar announced. "RiverClan, come with me." Brownpaw realized that she had been so busy arguing with Bluefire that she hadn't heard the other leaders speak, and Icestar had begun to lead her Clanmates away. With a hiss, Brownpaw turned away from Bluefire and headed up the slope, away from the gathering that had caused the discovery of an odd skill, and perhaps a new enemy as well.


	14. Of Death and Powers

**Author's Note: I have realized that I may have made a few mistakes in the genders of some of these cats. Unfortunately, they are canon, so if you want an excuse I'll just say that they will suddenly die after I stop writing about them, and then some random rouges with their exact looks will appear, and for no apparent reason the Clan will make them warriors and name them after the dead cats. Now, for the story.**

"Get away from my son!" Houndfang screeched, diving in between Darkpaw and Sloepaw.

"I just wanted to ask him a question! And then he called me a mouse-brain! Of course, I had to tell him he stank like fox-dung!" Darkpaw hissed, fury covering his face. Houndfang stared at him, surprised that he thought that Houndfang had only intervened because of that insult. Why was Darkpaw playing dumb, pretending not to notice that the whole Clan had found out he was a shapeshifter? The whole Clan was acting like he was a two-headed badger, afraid that he would hurt them or their family. Some of them actively ran into the woods or ducked into their dens when he came, those cowards. Houndfang, however, was one of the few cats who were not afraid to do something about Darkpaw. Oh yes, he was afraid of losing his family like he had lost Wrenkit, but that fear hardened into determination to protect his family and to train Brightpaw to eventually obliterate the monster in her Clan.

Wordlessly, he shoved Darkpaw aside and walked to the fresh-kill pile. He would deal with him later. As Houndfang walked, he became aware of many cats glaring at him. Oh, they included the usual cats, like Brownpaw and Dawnpaw, but there were two new cats too, ones he had thought were on his side: Jaywhisker and Leafdust. It seemed like Icestar's group of Darkpaw-loving fools had grown, despite Houndfang's warnings and excellent reasoning. However, the most painful losses occurred a few days after Darkpaw was born, when both Houndfang's cousin, Rainstorm, and (unsurprisingly) his sister, Icestar tried to defend Darkpaw, then Darkkit. Those mouse-brains. Today, he would show them all. There was a large dog loose in ShadowClan territory, and once he found it he could make Darkpaw fight it. Darkpaw would have to shapeshift to survive, and his secret would be exposed to everyone.

"What are you planning?" Rainstorm asked, startling Houndfang.

"Why do you think I'm planning something?" Houndfang responded.

"You have that smug look on your face like you always get when you're planning something. And I know from experience that none of your plans ever end well."

"Well, maybe this one will."

"I doubt it."

"The whole Clan will benefit from this."

"Another of those Darkpaw shenanigans, I see. You do realize that the more you do to antagonize Darkpaw, the more of your Clanmates think that you are a monster and stop supporting you. Between your efforts and Icestar's efforts, you're turning the whole Clan against you. Speaking of Icestar, you should really talk to her more often. She is your sister, after all."

"Icestar is as dead to me as Smolderfrost's corpse."

"Icestar didn't know that Dapplestar was going to kill Smolderfrost. She didn't think she needed to intervene."

"You learned this by listening to her, not me. I guess I don't want a cousin who never listens."

"Wait!"

But it was too late. Houndfang walked away, simmering with anger. _I'm not the monster. Darkpaw is. Rainstorm would have known that if he had listened._

"Come with me. We're going to do some training." Houndfang meowed as he neared Darkpaw. The two of them wordlessly exited the camp and began to walk through the woods.

"Houndfang? I smell dog." Darkpaw mewed, breaking the silence. Houndfang did not respond. _Just a few more fox-lengths!_

The smell of the dog grew stronger and stronger as the two cats neared it. Darkpaw kept shooting nervous glances at Houndfang, then at the forest, then back at Houndfang again, before he seemed to come to a conclusion.

"I'm not afraid of you, Houndfang." Darkpaw hissed, surprising Houndfang. What was the dark apprentice going to do?

"You should be." Houndfang growled, taking a step toward Darkpaw, though his heart was pounding so loudly in fright it drowned out every other sound. He was completely shocked when a heavy body slammed into him from behind. _The dog!_

Houndfang slumped, to stunned to react, as the dog sank its teeth into his shoulder. _Somebody! Anybody! Help!_ He thought desperately, but he couldn't seem to get the words out of his mouth. Suddenly, the weight lifted from his body. Darkpaw had pulled the dog off him! Raising to its full height, the dog lunged at Darkpaw, its huge muscles rippling. With a yelp, Darkpaw fled. Houndfang gave a snort of satisfaction. How long would it be before Darkpaw had to shapeshift to get away? Soon, many of Houndfang's problems would be solved. But why did he feel so guilty?

"Dog! Run!" a panicked voice cried.

Was that voice, could it be, Silversong's voice? Had Darkpaw brought the dog into the camp? _That wicked piece of fox-dung!_ Yowling a battle cry, Houndfang pelted to the camp at full speed. The closer he came, the more screams he heard, until suddenly they all went quiet.Was he too late?

Finally, Houndfang neared the camp. It seemed to take an eternity, a hopeless, helpless eternity to squeeze through the entrance, and it only slightly shocked him to see two corpses lying in the clearing. One belonged to the dog. The other one was Rainstorm.


	15. Thunder's Flames

Brownpaw was bleeding. Bleeding from countless wounds from the battle with the dog. Bleeding enough that she was beginning to feel dizzy. She would visit the medicine den soon, but right now there was a cat who needed healing more than she did. Rainstorm. He had saved Brightpaw just as the dog was about to bite her in the neck. Brownpaw had never seen such bravery, or felt so terrified and helpless.

Spotting Rainstorm lying a few tail-lengths away, Brownpaw dashed over to him, ignoring the pain that flared in her chest. She had to get to him, had to talk to him, thank him. Lightheaded from blood loss, she felt a wall of silver fur slam into her. She had bumped into Silversong!

"S-sorry, Silvers…" Brownpaw trailed off as she realized that Silversong had barely noticed her. Silversong was focused on a writhing bundle of black fur that she and Houndfang were dragging to the Clanrock. It was Darkpaw.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Icestar, seeing Darkpaw and bounding to the top of the Clanrock.

"This is the traitor that lead the dog to our camp! He is the monster that caused Rainstorm to die!" spat Silversong, dropping Darkpaw at Icestar's feet. Brownpaw gasped in horror. Rainstorm couldn't be dead! Looking at Rainstorm again, she waited for him to breathe, for him to show some sign of life. There was none. Rainstorm did not move, and would never move again. And it was all Darkpaw's fault.

"What happened?" Icestar meowed.

"I was training Darkpaw when we ran into the dog. It leaped onto me and bit my shoulder. Darkpaw knocked it off me, and for a moment I was grateful, before the dog charged at Darkpaw and he lead it to the camp." Houndfang growled. Silence engulfed the camp, broken only by the gasps of shocked cats. Then the angry yowls started.

"Exile him!"

"Yes! Drive him away so that he can never hurt another one of us!"

"Now, wait just a moment! Let Darkpaw share his side of the story!" Icestar yowled, trying to maintain order, even though Sunshade had started a rousing chant of "Exile!".

"I-I was...was just…" Darkpaw sputtered.

"Exile! Exile! Exile! Exile!" over half of ShadowClan chanted, growing louder with each word.

"H-Houndfang said we were going to go train, so we went into the woods. I sm-smelled dog, but Houndfang ignored my discovery and kept going nearer and nearer to it! Then it came…I just remember running, running for my life…running for help, for my friends and kin." Darkpaw squeaked, obviously terrified. Brownpaw instantly felt guilty for blaming him for Rainstorm's death. Luring Darkpaw into an ambush…that totally seemed like Houndfang.

"Is this true, Houndfang? Did you want the dog to attack Darkpaw?" Icestar growled.

"Believing the darkness that threatens all the Clans over me? This is a new low, even for you." Houndfang spat. Icestar cringed like Houndfang had ripped her ear off.

"EXILE! EXILE! EXILE! EXILE!" Houndfang's supporters chanted.

"Never! If you exile him, you exile me too!" Dawnpaw cried, pushing her way through the crowd to stand beside Darkpaw. "Join me if you care about Darkpaw and want him to stay!"

Cinderclaw, Creamwhisker, Owlberry, and Moontail joined her, and Brownpaw moved to join them, but she collapsed, dizzy and lightheaded.

"Those wounds look bad. Sloepaw, go get me some cobweb while I fetch some goldenrod." Creamwhisker mewed, seeing Brownpaw's injuries.

"No." Sloepaw hissed.

"What do you mean, no?"

"I mean no as in no, I will not take orders from a loner."

"Too bad. I'm the only medicine cat we have now."

"Oh, I can solve that problem." A cat mewed, rising from the bushes surrounding the camp. Her blue-grey pelt and amber eyes shone in the sunlight. It was Bluefire.

"What are you doing here?" asked Icestar.

"I heard screams from your territory while I was gathering herbs at the border." Bluefire replied, her face sending a clear message: _You don't want the other Clans to know about this, do you? Do what I want and this will stay a secret._

"So, what solution do you offer?" asked Houndfang dubiously.

"Ravenwing has become a full medicine cat, so I think he could manage if I decided to mentor Sloepaw for a while." Bluefire offered.

"Oh, and you expect us to let you? You are one of the worst spies that I have ever seen." growled Creamwhisker. Her Clanmates started to advance on Bluefire, hissing. Suddenly Bluefire let out a gasp, and her eyes flicked to the sky as if they were peering at the unseen stars.

"Thunder's flames will shed light into the shadows, for it is only if the darkness is penetrated that peace will bloom." Bluefire whispered. Murmurs erupted throughout the clearing.

"Was that…a prophecy?"

"It's about Bluefire! She will rid us of Darkpaw for good!"

"Yeah right. Like she isn't making this all up."

Brownpaw narrowed her eyes at Bluefire. Could she possibly be making the prophecy up? Near the Clanrock, Icestar, Adderstrike, and Houndfang whispered to each other, but as much as she strained Brownpaw could not hear what they were saying.

"I have come to a decision. Bluefire will train Sloepaw as long as she is willing to." Icestar announced. Bluefire flashed Brownpaw a smug smile, as if she had known all along that this was going to happen. It seemed like she had made up the prophecy. But how could Brownpaw be sure? She decided to look into Bluefire's eyes to see if she could find any clues there. Although her Clanmates had refused to believe that Brownpaw had powers, Brownpaw had never stopped believing in herself. Someday, her Clanmates would take her seriously. She would show them. She would show them all!

Brownpaw steeled her nerves and looked straight into Bluefire's eyes. Bluefire's eyes started to turn green, and her pelt grey, but halfway through her transformation a flash of pain burned through Brownpaw, and a silent message was transmitted to her: _Stay out of my mind, snooper!_

Brownpaw recoiled in shock as Bluefire's eyes and pelt turned back to normal. How did Bluefire do that? The world was spinning, spinning, and a wave of dizziness toppled Brownpaw over as her eyes closed and she lost consciousness.


	16. Sparks

"Get away from my kits!" screeched Snowtuft, curling protectively around Branchkit, Glintkit, and Silverkit. Darkpaw stepped backward, preparing to flee. If he made a scene, he would have more than Snowtuft and her mate, Shredtail, to deal with. In the three days since the dog attack, most of ShadowClan had made their hatred of him clear, often spitting or swiping at him whenever he neared them. Whenever he tried to stand up for himself, an angry mob of his Clanmates would surround him and claw at him until he backed down. Only Dawnpaw and Creamwhisker ever tried to break up the fights.

Darkpaw continued to back away, but this proved to be a bad idea when he suddenly felt something solid bump into his hindquarters. A snarl sounded from behind him and Shredtail came into view. Darkpaw had bumped into him! Shredtail ran to his mate, Snowtuft, and turned to face Darkpaw, hissing.

"What do you think you're doing?" he snarled. Darkpaw turned around and walked away. There was a sudden pain in his tail, and he spun around to see Shredtail standing right behind him, claws unsheathed.

"Get away from him!" Dawnpaw's voice rang out around the clearing as she ran towards Shredtail.

"I will _not._ You should get away from Darkpaw before you regret not listening to me!" Shredtail spat.

"You should get away from Darkpaw before Icestar makes you regret not listening to me!"

"Icestar, huh? Looks like you picked the wrong cat, seeing how Bluefire has her in check! Speaking of Bluefire, I think it's time you started looking up to a new idol. Someone the Clan likes."

"Bluefire is a frog-faced mouse-brai-,"

"Now, what's going on?" Bluefire asked, trotting out of the medicine den. Darkpaw felt a shiver run down his spine. He knew he shouldn't be afraid of a medicine cat, but there was something about Bluefire, perhaps the way she vowed to "penetrate the darkness" or the way her eyes seemed to look right into his soul, that made him feel terrified whenever she was around.

"That thing, that murderer came near my kits!" roared Snowtuft. Darkpaw cringed at the word murderer. He didn't mean to kill Rainstorm. All he remembered was running, running as fast as he could, then pain, then screaming…and, most horrifying of all, seeing Brownpaw crumple to the ground, unconscious.

"I wasn't coming near your kits! I just wanted to see Brownpaw!" Darkpaw protested. A sudden hiss came from the crowd, and Moontail pushed her way out, Leafdust by her side.

"Don't you dare make excuses! You wanted to kill those kits the moment you laid eyes on them! And don't you dare go to see Brownpaw! She doesn't want to see a monster like you! You are no kit of mine! You never were and you never will be!" Moontail cried, crumpling to the ground. "I tried to be a good parent. I tried to understand. I tried to push him onto the right path. But he's too far gone! He was too far gone from birth! Why couldn't I have nice, normal kits with no prophecy to make me miserable? But no! I just had to be so selfish, so confident that I would have amazing kits, that StarClan laughed in my face and made me give birth to-to _him_!"

Darkpaw ran. Trees blurred around him as he left the camp. _My mother hates me. She hates me. She hates me._ Shouts rang out behind him.

"Let him run! Let him leave us forever!"

"No! Kill him, so he'll never be able to hurt us ever again!"

"NO!"

"Ow! Stop this before you get hurt, Dawnpaw!"

"And obey a heap of fox-dung like you? NEVER!"

"There he is!" Darkpaw looked over his shoulder and saw the snarling form of Houndfang, about to sink his claws into Darkpaw's back. There was a burning pain as Houndfang hit him, and Darkpaw fell onto his back, too scared to move. _I'm going to die. StarClan, please don't let me die without apologizing to Brownpaw for not believing that she had powers. I was wrapped up in jealousy, thinking that after all I'd been through I deserved to be the one to save the Clans. Now I can never apologize…_

There was a sudden gasp, and Houndfang was smacked down. Creamwhisker was standing over his unconscious body.

"You saved my life," Darkpaw whispered.

"It was the least I could do, after I convinced Icestar to make Houndfang your mentor," Creamwhisker replied.

"I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have blamed you for doing what you thought was right."

"Thank you so much, Darkpaw. I've been so lonely without you…and now Bluefire has come to replace me. She even gave Sloefur his full name…"

"Everyone who thinks you shouldn't be here is out of their mind. You are amazing."

"Brightpaw!" Shredtail's voice rang out across the forest. Darkpaw looked around, realizing that his Clanmates were clustering around a certain white she-cat pressing her paws into a fallen tree, and Darkpaw soon saw why. From Brightpaw's claws came blazingly, blindingly white sparks, and soon the log was on fire. As soon as the fire started, Brightpaw scooped up pawfulls of mud and snuffed it out.

"Brightpaw! You found your power!" exclaimed Jaggeddawn joyfully.

"Brightpaw! Brightpaw! Brightpaw! Brightpaw!" chanted the spectators. Looking delighted, Brightpaw led her followers back to the camp. Darkpaw dug his claws into the ground in envy.

The worst day of his life had been Brightpaw's best.

…..

"All cats who are old enough to catch their own prey must gather beneath the Clanrock!" Icestar bellowed, standing on the Clanrock. Her apprentice, Gravelpaw, sat right below, gazing up at his mentor in awe. Gradually, the rest of ShadowClan arrived and sat down, making a wide berth around where Darkpaw, Dawnpaw, and Creamwhisker sat.

"Darkpaw, come forward." Icestar ordered. Darkpaw walked over to her, wondering what this was all about. Was he about to be exiled?

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to give this apprentice a new mentor. Darkpaw, your mentor is too…too unstable to mentor you any longer. Breezeflight, Sunshade has trained you well, and I am confident that you will be a good mentor to Darkpaw," Icestar announced. Breezeflight tentatively came forward, as if every step hurt, and quickly pressed her nose toward Darkpaw. For a fraction of a heartbeat their noses touched, but as quickly as she had put it forward, Breezeflight jerked her head back, and dashed back to the place she was sitting in. Darkpaw too walked back and sat next to Dawnpaw again.

"Houndfang, come forward," Icestar commanded, a look of revulsion in her eyes. Houndfang skulked forward, dragging his feet with every step.

"Houndfang, you have proven yourself unable to be a mentor…or a warrior. I think it is time for you to retire to the elders' den," Icestar meowed. Around her, cats grumbled amongst themselves almost threateningly.

"I don't think that is a good idea, leader," Bluefire advised. "I have seen signs. While Darkpaw was running away, I smelled the scent of a dog near the edge of my den. Turning around, I noticed a spider of the poisonous variety crouched right next to me. If I hadn't smelled the dog, it surely would have bit me. And when Brightpaw discovered her powers, a star streaked through the sky."

"Fine. Houndfang, you may keep your position. However, you cannot take any prey from the fresh-kill pile until everyone has taken some," Icestar mewed. "This meeting is over. May StarClan be with you all."

Darkpaw stood up and stretched, walking over to Breezeflight. What kind of mentor would she be? Would she hate him, like Houndfang, or would she be grateful to have an apprentice at all? Would she refuse to teach him anything?

"So, what are we doing today?" Darkpaw asked.

"Um…I thought…I-I thought we could do an assessment," Breezeflight replied, looking terrified at the prospect.

"An assessment on what?"

"T-the warrior code."

"The warrior code?"

"Yes. Didn't Moontail teach you it?"

"Yeah, when I was a young kit."

"O-okay. Let's begin."

Something told Darkpaw that this wasn't going to be a great apprenticeship.


	17. Truth of the Dusk

_Brightpaw stood at the edge of a starlit wood, where the trees stood tall, with not a single brown leaf amongst them. Prey-scent filled the air, and Brightpaw could hear the gentle lapping of a stream nearby. Could this possibly be StarClan?_

 _Beyond the edge of the woods, there was another forest, but this one made Brightpaw's spine shiver. Wilting trees and shrubs clustered together, creating shadows that seemed to fill the forest with darkness. Worst of all, there were no stars in the sky. Fear seemed to emanate from the forest, filling Brightpaw with dread._

 _The branches of a nearby bush in the dark woods rustled as a small she-cat squeezed her way through. Her fur was dusky brown with darker stripes, ear tips, and a tuft of fur in the center of her forehead. Wounds marred her body, and one of her ears had been split in half. Darkness radiated from her, making Brightpaw look as bright as the fire she loved to create by comparison._

 _"_ _Who are you?" Brightpaw asked._

 _"_ _I am Duskleaf," Duskleaf replied, a sad smile on her face._

 _"_ _W-why are you here?" Brightpaw sputtered, gesturing to the twisted forest around her. Why should she trust a cat who lived in this horrible place?_

 _"_ _Ah, that question. I often asked myself that question when I was a newcomer to this place. I finally figured it out. When I was alive, I thought that the truth was the most important thing in life. My obsession for the truth led me onto a twisted path, one that nobody else was willing to walk. When I finally died, StarClan didn't want me," Duskleaf mewled. "Anyway, we need to talk. I have something extremely important to tell you, and it's only a matter of time before I get cut off."_

 _Duskleaf eyed the stars warily. Looking up, Brightpaw noticed that the stars were getting bigger and brighter by the second. So this was StarClan. Brightpaw felt a surge of anger towards the cats who had given ShadowClan a vague prophecy and no further explanation. ShadowClan had figured out the meaning of the prophecy on its own, of course, but a little more explanation would be nice._

 _"_ _What did you want to tell me?" asked Brightpaw. The stars grew brighter, enveloping everything in light, and Duskleaf and the forest started to fade from Brightpaw's sight._

 _"_ _Brightpaw, you-," Duskleaf began, but was cut off, disappearing in a flash of light._

…..

Brightpaw woke with a start. What was StarClan doing, hiding information from her? Or was Duskleaf trying to trick her? Yawning, she got out of her nest, noticing that the moss below her had burned to a crisp. Brightpaw sighed. Although her Clanmates usually nearly tripped over each other to bring her new moss, the scent of smoke still filled the apprentices' den every time. The den had become a little less crowded when Redthistle and Dawnshade had become warriors, but Gravelpaw still kept Brightpaw up most of the night with his horrible snoring.

"Did it happen again?" Redthistle asked as Brightpaw walked out into the camp. Redthistle had been the only cat Brightpaw had told about the odd dreams she had been having, where a flash of light blocked out everything and ended the dream almost as soon as it had begun. Icestar was too foolish to tell, Bluefire was too off-putting to tell, and Sloefur couldn't be talked to without Bluefire overhearing. Of course, Houndfang or Silversong would have been good cats to confide in, but whenever Brightpaw came near them Adderstrike's words echoed in her mind: "They aren't your friends. They're your worshippers."

"Well, kind of." Brightpaw replied, and went on to tell him all about her dream.

"We need to tell Icestar now!" Redthistle yelped, running towards Icestar's den. Brightpaw hesitantly followed. Maybe Icestar had experience with this kind of thing, and could tell Brightpaw if she could trust Duskleaf or not.

"Hey, Brightpaw!" Adderstrike meowed, a friendly smile on his face. "Brownpaw is finally feeling better, and your final assessment is near, so I think today would be a good day to go to the Moonstone!"

"When are we leaving?" asked Brightpaw, thinking that she could find some answers there.

"As soon as you're ready. The rest of us have already taken our traveling herbs, so you just need to take yours." Adderstrike responded. Brightpaw walked into the medicine cats' den, where Sloefur was waiting for her.

"Here you go," Sloefur mewed, sliding a bundle of leaves toward her. Brightpaw swallowed the herbs, recoiling at the bitter taste. Thanking Sloepaw, Brightpaw exited the den and walked over to the place where Adderstrike, Breezeflight, Cinderclaw, Brownpaw, and Darkpaw were standing.

"Is everyone ready to go?" asked Cinderclaw. All of the gathered cats nodded. Adderstrike led the cats into the pines, and they silently walked through the forest. After carefully crossing the Thunderpath, Brightpaw found herself in an oddly exposed moor beyond the territories of the Clans. To one side of the moor lay a huge Thunderpath, and beyond that there was a cluster of square-shaped stones with more stones on top, forming triangles.

"What are those?" asked Brownpaw, looking just as curious as Brightpaw felt.

"Twoleg dens." replied Cinderclaw. Looking closer, Brightpaw could just make out the shapes of odd looking creatures with no fur anywhere but the tops of their heads. _Those must be Twolegs._

As the cats continued to walk, Brightpaw began to see a jagged range of huge rocks sticking out of the ground. They became clearer and clearer as Brightpaw came nearer, and the ground sloped upward, making the journey even more tiring. Finally, Brightpaw and her Clanmates reached a huge hole in the stone, dark as the night sky above them.

"This is Mothermouth. Follow me. Don't worry, the roof won't collapse above you. At least, it hasn't happened yet." Adderstrike explained. He then confidently padded into the dark, dark cave. Cinderclaw and Breezeflight followed. Brightpaw dashed in, trying to reassure herself that everything was fine. She was immediately swallowed by darkness, relying on scent and sound to keep her from bumping into the stone walls. _It's fine. Just a few more fox-lengths. This tunnel won't go on forever._

A few moments later, the walls sloped outward, creating a larger area. Looking up, Brightpaw could see a hole in the ceiling. Two stars shone above her, but the moon was out of sight. After what seemed like hours, the moon began to rise, shining light through the hole. Brightpaw heard Darkpaw gasp, and following his line of sight she saw that a large stone in the middle of the cavern had begun to shine with light from the moon, shining like a star in the night sky.

"This is the Moonstone. Now, lay down and touch your noses to the stone, and when you fall asleep, StarClan will speak with you." Adderstrike instructed. Obligingly, the three apprentices laid down, pressing their noses to the Moonstone. Brightpaw flinched at the chill of the cold rock, but something about this place made her drowsy, and soon her eyes closed. Brightpaw drifted off to sleep, not seeing that the Moonstone had turned black as night.

 _When Brightpaw opened her eyes, she found herself in the dark, twisted forest of her previous dream. Next to her stood Brownpaw, her eyes wide in surprise, and next to Brownpaw sat Darkpaw. In front of Brightpaw stood Duskleaf, looking at her sadly._

 _"_ _Is this StarClan?" asked Brownpaw, looking at the forest dubiously._

 _"_ _No," replied Duskleaf._

 _"_ _What is it that you wanted to tell me?" inquired Brightpaw. Darkpaw gaped._

 _"_ _You two know each other?" gasped Brownpaw._

 _"_ _Yes," Duskleaf admitted. "I tried to tell her something in a dream, but I was cut off by StarClan. Now, I think it would be better for all of you to hear this."_

 _"_ _Why would StarClan want to cut you off?" demanded Darkpaw._

 _Duskleaf sighed. "You see, they worried that if I told you the full details of the prophecy, ShadowClan would overreact and do something foolish. They didn't even want me to deliver the prophecy in the first place, but I managed to utter a quick warning to Rainstorm before I was cut off, instead of the full description I had planned."_

 _The three apprentices gasped. Beneath Brightpaw, a fallen branch burst into flames, but she quickly snuffed it out with the moist dirt beneath her feet._

 _"_ _Th-the full details of the prophecy? You mean like who has the power to save the Clans or destroy them?" Darkpaw stuttered, a glint of hope in his eyes, probably hoping that he was normal. Could that be what Duskleaf wanted to tell them? A shiver of dread ran along Brightpaw's spine as she realized that she might not be destined to save the Clans. Maybe she was - no. That was impossible._

 _"_ _Yes," Duskleaf answered, a frown on her face. "Brightpaw, I'm sorry, but you were born to destroy."_

 _No. No, no. It couldn't be. Brightpaw was special. Duskleaf must've been lying. An uncontrollable stream of long-forgotten memories wormed their way through Brightpaw's mind, showing her things she wished she had never seen._

 _When Brightpaw was a small kit, an elder named Tawnyfrost had called her a stuck-up freak. The next day, her charred corpse was found near the Dirtplace._

 _The day after Icestar made Dawnshade and Redthistle apprentices when Brightpaw should have been made one, the apprentices' den burned to the ground, and it took several days to rebuild it._

 _Brightpaw struggled against the flow of memories as the forest around her began to fade, and Brownpaw and Darkpaw disappeared. Someone was trying to shake her awake, but Brightpaw clung to her dream, lunging at Duskleaf and clawing at her to no avail, for her claws went right through her. With a final screech of outrage, Brightpaw opened her eyes._

…

"Brightpaw! Thank StarClan you're all right! Just as you fell asleep, the Moonstone turned black! I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't wake for several moments. Thank StarClan our hero is allrigh-," Adderstrike began.

"I'm not the protector, not the savior. I have the power to destroy the Clans." Brightpaw whispered, unable to hold back the truth any longer. Breezeflight, Cinderclaw, and Adderstrike stared at her, their eyes widening in terror. As if they were one cat, they swiveled around to face Darkpaw, looking at him the way they had once looked at Brightpaw. _No. It can't be!_

Adderstrike turned back to Brightpaw, his warm green eyes seeming to reach into her soul, trying to comfort it.

"Don't worry. When your Clanmates hear of this, they won't hate you. They know you're a good cat, Brightpaw. Everything will be fine." Adderstrike reassured her.

But Brightpaw knew that nothing would be fine ever again.


	18. Parallel Returns

**Author's Note: I have a poll in my profile about what to write when this is complete (don't worry, there are still quite a few chapters left)! Please vote if you can!**

Brightpaw shivered in fear as she approached the entrance to the camp. What would her Clanmates think of her when they learned the truth about her power? Would they hate her? Would they love Darkpaw the way they once loved her? _No. They wouldn't. They're my friends._ Brightpaw tried to reassure herself.

But Brightpaw couldn't believe it.

"Are you ready?" asked Adderstrike, catching up to Brightpaw. The two had gone on ahead while Cinderclaw and Breezeflight took their apprentices hunting, as Adderstrike had thought it would be better for the camp to be less crowded when Brightpaw arrived. Brightpaw nodded. Though she wished she could stay away forever, she had to face her fears sometime. Why not now?

Gathering her courage, Brightpaw stepped into the camp. The eyes of her Clanmates hit her like a wave, and she resisted the urge to run far, far away.

"You're back! How was it?"

"You'll never guess what Icestar did!"

"It was wise to attack that WindClan patrol on our territory before they could steal our prey!"

"Oh yeah? And would it be wise to start a war?"

The meows of her Clanmates soaked into Brightpaw's ears, teasing her about what she would never have again. Ignoring them, Brightpaw pushed into Icestar's den, Adderstrike by her side.

Icestar looked up from her nest, poultices barely covering up the wounds on her shoulder and belly.

"Sorry about my appearance. WindClan was troubling us again. So, what's troubling you?" Icestar mewled casually.

"It seems that Brightpaw's powers…are the opposite of what we thought." Adderstrike explained. Icestar's eyes widened. Without a word, she brushed past them onto the Clanrock.

"Cats of ShadowClan, come to the Clanrock for a meeting!" yowled Icestar. _This is it. She's really going to tell them._

Brightpaw sat beside Redthistle, their tails entwining for one last time. _No. It won't be. Please, StarClan, don't let me lose him. I always knew he loved me, but I never really loved him back. But let him stay and I will love him with all my heart, I promise!_

"Cats of ShadowClan, I have terrible news. It appears that Brightpaw isn't destined to save the Clans. Quite the opposite, in fact." Icestar announced. The words cut into Brightpaw's very soul like sharp, sharp claws. Murmurs spread through the clearing as Icestar dragged herself back to her nest.

"I-I was so sure she was the one…"

"She seemed so good!"

"Maybe she was enchanting us all."

Brightpaw glowered at her Clanmates, pretending not to notice that Redthistle had slipped away without a word. Whipping her head around, Brightpaw walked to the fresh-kill pile. Before her eyes, all the good prey was quickly taken. Snatching a scrawny mouse, Brightpaw entered the apprentice den, desperate for a place to hide from the terrified eyes of those she had once called friends.

The first thing Brightpaw saw when she entered her den was that her nest had been removed, probably tossed by Gravelpaw or Lizardpaw, who were huddled in the back of the den with their sister, Littlepaw. Brightpaw sighed, realizing that she had to gather her own moss and bracken. Sniffing around near her den, she found the remnants of her nest and gathered them into a messy looking pile near the edge of Brownpaw's nest. Her sister wouldn't mind. Suddenly, she felt a pain at the edge of her tail, and she turned around to see Gravelpaw with tufts of white fur in his claw.

"We thought you got the message when we ripped apart your nest. We don't want you here, and if you do stay we'll leave. I don't think Firepelt would be happy about that." Gravelpaw snarled.

"That's right. Go." growled Firepelt, sticking her head into the den. Brightpaw simply glared at her, fire flickering around her paws. With a look of terror Firepelt and her kits fled.

Spotting Redthistle walking into the woods with Silversong, Shredtail, and Whitepatch, Brightpaw bolted towards him, stopping right in front of him. Redthistle instantly tried to run, but Brightpaw chased after him until he was cornered, pressed against a large outcropping of rock.

"Redthistle, please. You know me. You know I'm a good cat. I know you love me." Brightpaw pleaded.

"Well, you know wrong." Redthistle hissed coldly, pushing past Brightpaw to rejoin his group.

"Wait! Redthistle, I-I love you!" Brightpaw called, but there was no response.

Redthistle wasn't her friend. He was never her friend. Brightpaw had never had friends.

She had only had worshippers.

…

Darkpaw panted as he lugged the squirrel he had caught into the camp. Whispers bubbled up all around him, and he flinched as too many eyes to count focused on him. Placing his squirrel on the fresh-kill pile, he reached forward to grab a sparrow.

"Darkpaw! Do you want to share this frog?" Redthistle called. Darkpaw stood in place, surprised that Redthistle would want to eat with him after all that had happened. Darkpaw had never really gotten to know the ginger tom, mostly because of Greyfoot's worrying. Maybe now was a good time to talk to him.

"Yeah!" Darkpaw replied, sitting down beside Redthistle. After taking a few bites, Darkpaw heard a growl, and turned around to see Brightpaw glare at him, sparks glinting around her feet, before turning away. For a heartbeat, Darkpaw almost felt sorry for her, for she had probably lost the popularity she had once had. But then bitterness filled him as he remembered how horribly Brightpaw had treated him.

"How'd you like to join my border patrol?" Jaywhisker asked, butting his head in between Darkpaw and Redthistle. He gestured to the center of the camp, where Firepelt and Whitepatch were waiting.

"Um…sure." said Darkpaw uncertainly. He began to walk toward Jaywhisker's patrol, but just as he passed Brightpaw raced forward, blocking his path.

"You think your Clanmates like you. You think you have friends. But you're wrong. Your Clanmates only want you for your power. Your friends only ever felt sorry for you." She whispered, then backed away with a hiss.

…

Darkpaw headed towards his den, tired from Jaywhisker's patrol. Seeing that his nest had been freshly reinforced with more moss and feathers, he felt a pang of gratitude towards Gravelpaw, Littlepaw, and Lizardpaw.

"Darkpaw!" Houndfang called from his seat next to Silversong. Darkpaw hesitantly walked over to his former mentor.

"Look. I know we got off on the wrong foot. I know you don't like me. But the fact is, I am one of the most influential members of this Clan. If you can help me with a few…things, I can get you a few favors in return." Hounfang offered. "Darkpaw, I'm not a monster. I have friends, and a son. I have a mate pregnant with another litter of my kits." Darkpaw looked at Silversong in surprise. How had he not noticed she was expecting kits before? Darkpaw barely considered Houndfang's offer. His past with the warrior and Brightpaw's words to him earlier made up his mind for him.

"No. As in no way. As in no way would I help a cat who hated me until he learned I was supposedly destined to save the Clans. By the way, I have no power. If you want power…" Darkpaw trailed off, unable to say Brownpaw. Why should she have powers after all he'd been through? It wasn't fair.

Whipping his head around, Darkpaw stalked back to his nest.


	19. The Final Assessment

Cinderclaw paced warily, waiting for Adderstrike to finish talking to Icestar. Today was Brownpaw's final assessment, and also Darkpaw and Brightpaw's. Cinderclaw smiled, picturing Brownpaw as Brownwing or Browntail. Her apprentice had been a joy to have around, except for when she loudly proclaimed that she had a power, which she obviously didn't. For a moment, Cinderclaw wondered what it would've been like to train Brightpaw, like Icestar had originally planned. But then Adderstrike just had to go and ask to train Brightpaw himself. Though most of ShadowClan thought he wanted to be the one to mentor ShadowClan's hero, Cinderclaw secretly thought that Adderstrike was infatuated with the much younger apprentice.

"It's time." Adderstrike declared, walking towards the forest. Cinderclaw nervously followed him, along with Brightpaw, Brownpaw, Breezeflight, and Darkpaw. Before long, she fell behind the rest of the group, panting as she tried to keep up. Cinderclaw sighed, knowing that Brownpaw would be her last apprentice. Soon it would be time to retire.

…

Brownpaw eagerly walked alongside Darkpaw, but quickly seemed to be falling behind. She tried to speed up, but she felt more tired than usual. Finally, she caught a glimpse of Darkpaw stopping at a gesture from Adderstrike, and Brownpaw quickly caught up. The deputy turned to face them, a nervous grin on his face.

"Your assessments will consist of two tests: hunting and fighting." Adderstrike explained. "Hunting will come first. You have until Sunhigh to catch as much prey as possible, starting…now!"

Brownpaw took off into the marshes, sniffing the peaty ground. There was no prey-scent. Brownpaw tried a different area of the pine forest. Still nothing.

A scuffling sound in the undergrowth alerted Brownpaw to the presence of a vole behind her. There was a sudden squeal of pain abrubtly cut off, and then Brightpaw rose into view, carrying the vole in her teeth. Brownpaw dashed away, into a dense thicket where tall bushes and pines intertwined. Clenching her teeth, she squeezed into a narrow gap in the bushes, following a squeaking sound she had heard. She soon spotted a tiny hole in the ground, in which lay three baby mice. Around them lay piles of bones. Clearly, other predators had gotten their siblings. With one powerful swipe, Brownpaw killed the three mice, carried them out of the thicket, and into the…

Brownpaw looked around confusedly. The hollow she had emerged into was filled with powdery white fluff, and even more was coming from the sky. Brownpaw stuck a paw into it and rapidly pulled it out, shocked by its coldness. Was this the "snow" the elders had told her about? If so, why had it come so late? Most of ShadowClan had thought it would come sooner than this.

Brownpaw suddenly leaned over, barely stopping herself from falling. The mice in her jaws had become so much heavier! The snow around Brownpaw was spinning, spinning, and so were the sky and the trees. It was so, so cold. Terror sparked up in Brownpaw once she realized that she had no idea how to get back to the camp. _What's going on? What's wrong with me?_

"Left."

Brownpaw whipped around. Was it just her, or did she just hear a somewhat familiar voice? Curious, Brownpaw took a few steps left.

"Now turn towards the sun, and keep going forwards."

Brownpaw followed the directions, wondering what would happen. As she walked forwards, the scenery became more and more familiar, and Brownpaw broke into a jog. The ground spun again, and Brownpaw dizzily fell down, still holding on to her mice. A jolt of terror ripped through her as she realized that she was sliding. She picked up speed, unable to stop her descent, until she collided into something warm with a thud. Brownpaw looked up, seeing Sunshade's angry face.

"What are you do- wait a minute. You feel warm. Too warm." Sunshade mewed, his eyes widening. The world was spinning, spinning so fast that Brownpaw couldn't keep up. Her eyes were closing against her will, and finally she gave in and let them close. There was a faint sensation of being dragged, then the sound of a terrified gasp, and finally a halfhearted cheer:

"Brownfur! Brownfur!"

Then there was only darkness.

…

"Any news about Brownpaw?" Darkpaw asked, seeing that Cinderclaw had come back from the camp.

"Apparently, she got sick while she was hunting. She's back in camp, resting. And Icestar gave her a warrior name: Brownfur." Cinderclaw mewed. Darkpaw narrowed his eyes. Cinderclaw had made Brownfur's sickness seem so light. But Darkpaw knew that Icestar never gave a cat a warrior name unless they completed their assessment or otherwise proved themselves…or if they were about to- no. No! Cinderclaw was a good, honest cat. She wouldn't lie to anyone…right?

"Now, since you're both done with your hunting, I think it's time to do the fighting assessment. I would like you to do a practice fight. I'll tell you when to stop. Claws sheathed. No fire, Brightpaw. Start…now!" Adderstrike yelled.

Before Darkpaw could react Brightpaw was upon him, swatting at him furiously. Darkpaw hissed and lashed out at his sister, knocking her back. With a growl, Brightpaw rose to her feet and lunged at Darkpaw again. Darkpaw dodged to the side, batting at her with a paw as she passed him. This time Brightpaw didn't fall, and she charged forward, knocking Darkpaw to the ground with a series of blows. Darkpaw tried to get up, but Brightpaw pinned him down, a paw to his throat.

"All right. That's enough." Adderstrike ordered. Brightpaw hesitantly walked off of Darkpaw, shooting him a glare that told him just what she would've done if this hadn't been a practice fight. Darkpaw scrambled to his feet, following Adderstrike and the rest of the patrol back to camp.

…

By the time Brightpaw had reached the camp, worries had nearly suffocated her. _Is Brownfur going to be okay? What if I trip during my warrior ceremony? What if Icestar names me something awful like Brightscourge or Brightfire? What if nobody cheers my name?_

Adderstrike padded into Icestar's den, and low, unintelligible murmurs emanated from the den for a few moments. Then both Adderstrike and Icestar exited into the camp. _This is it. My naming ceremony._

"Cats of ShadowClan, gather around the Clanrock for a Clan meeting!" Icestar yowled, bounding up onto the tall rock. "Brightpaw and Darkpaw, come forward." Brightpaw padded forward nervously, looking at the faces of her Clanmates. Awkwardness, even hatred, shone in their eyes. Brightpaw forced her head to face Icestar. _Don't think about the things that might go wrong. Think about what Darkpaw's warrior name will be. Probably Darkfrost, maybe Darkshade._

"I, Icestar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Darkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Icestar asked. Darkpaw's eyes jumped from Icestar to Houndfang to Creamwhisker to Bluefire to Dawnshade, and then back to Icestar again.

"I do." Darkpaw promised.

"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Darkpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Darklight. StarClan honors your loyalty and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." Icestar announced, resting her muzzle on Darklight's head. In return, Darklight licked her shoulder.

"Brightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Icestar inquired. Brightpaw tensed. Did she really want to protect the cats who had only liked her for her powers? The cats who shunned her so easily? But if she didn't say yes…what would happen? Would she be exiled, forever to be known as the evil cat who was loyal to no one?

"I do." Brightpaw replied.

"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Brightpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Brightflare. StarClan honors your courage and fighting skill, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." Icestar meowed, looking at Brightflare warily.

"Darklight! Brightflare!" cheered Brightflare's Clanmates.

Brightflare. _Brightflare!_ A name to forever remind her of her power. No. NO! How could Icestar do this to her? Something inside Brightflare snapped. Around her, cats gasped.

"B-Brightflare, you're on fire!" Sloefur shouted. Brightflare lifted a paw. It wasn't on fire. It was made of fire. White fire just like Brightflare's fur color. Taking a deep breath, Brightflare calmed herself, and her body turned back to normal. Looking around, she saw all of her Clanmates' faces frozen in expressions of absolute terror.

Oh yes, Brightflare wouldn't be like poor little bullied Darklight. She could stand up for herself. She had powers that she actually used. Darklight did not. Brightflare grinned.

 _This is the way I like it._


	20. In the Darkness

A shriek pierced the air. Darklight tore his eyes from the nursery. It wouldn't do any good to think about what Silversong was going through, kitting so early. _Come on. Go visit Brownfur. See how she's doing._

Darklight forced himself to stand and walk to the medicine den, the place that used to provide a safe haven to him. Now, it had become a Bluefire – dominated area, and Creamwhisker spent most of the time hunting instead of healing. But Darklight simply _had_ to see Brownfur. Brownfur and Sunshade had been sick for days, confined to the medicine den, and Shredtail had complained of dizziness a few hours ago. Darklight hadn't seen his sister since, and he desperately needed to.

"Sorry, but no cats may enter without my permission." Bluefire growled as Darklight approached the medicine den.

"And what about Creamwhisker's permission? Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Darklight snarled.

"Of course, it means s _omething_ to me. But your Clanmates might think differently." Bluefire mewed. A faint grin appeared on her face, and triumph flared in her eyes. Darklight got the message. Bluefire had won. She had made Sloefur a great medicine cat. She had moved Creamwhisker into a position where she was both unwanted and unneeded. Darklight would never forgive her for that. Whipping around, he stalked back to the warriors' den. It was late, and time to sleep. Collapsing into his nest, Darklight closed his eyes.

…

 _There was fire. It blazed around him, red tongues licking the grass and bracken around Darklight. Looking up, he saw the flaming branches of four huge trees. With a bang, a branch fell, and Darklight turned, hearing a scream from behind._

 _From his vantage point at the edge of a hollow, Darklight could see it all. All of the terrible, horrible sights._

 _Dawnshade lay still, the fallen branch slowly crushing her into the ground. Icestar was backed up against a tree, cornered by three skinny cats smelling of rats and twolegplace. Houndfang limped desperately, trying to escape the flames. Blood trickled from a deep scratch on his leg, and from a bite to his shoulder. Shuddering with pain, he collapsed, and a pale ginger cat leapt onto him, clamping his jaws around Houndfang's neck. All around, cats fought, their forms silhouetted by the fire. And sitting on a huge, tall rock in the middle of the hollow was Brightflare, her violet eyes gleaming._

 _Darklight tried to run, tried to help, but his limbs were like stone. He tried to cry for help, but no sound came out of his mouth. Turning his gaze away from the destruction, he noticed Duskleaf standing beside him, her ivy-green eyes fixed on a small plant beneath her. The plant had a dark green stalk, with tiny leaves that stuck out like points and red flowers growing at the top._

 _"_ _This plant is called blood-drop, for its red flowers. It grows near carrionplace. It will cure your sister. Go immediately, for if Brownfur is lost, the Clans will burn and die." Duskleaf whispered. Darklight slowly nodded._ So it really isn't me, _he thought sadly._ I should've known I would never save the Clans.

 _Then everything went black._

…

Darklight opened his eyes. Moonlight shone through the roof of the warriors' den, and Darklight was tempted to go back to sleep. Then he remembered Duskleaf's warning.

 _"_ _Go immediately, for if Brownfur is lost, the Clans will burn and die."_

Quickly, Darklight rose to his feet and dashed out of his nest, through the camp, and into the woods. Hearing a wailing sound, he headed towards the noise, and came face to face with Houndfang.

Two kits lay limp beside him, one a black tom with white paws, the other a silver she-cat with a white tail tip. Darklight waited for their lungs to rise.

They didn't.

"They're dead," Houndfang spat.

"A-are they yours?" Darklight stammered.

"Of course they're mine." Houndfang growled. "Who else was kitting today?"

"I'm sorry." Darklight murmured.

"You're _sorry_? You have no idea. When I was younger, I was happy. I had a mate, Smolderfrost. She died in battle, all because Icestar wouldn't help her. Everyone said that they were sorry. That was all they ever said. 'I'm sorry.' 'I'm so sorry.' 'You must be in so much pain right now.' Why? Why couldn't they see that my pain was greater than 'I'm sorry.'? I was angry. But I moved on. I found a new mate, Silversong. Then my mother Nightclaw died. Cue the 'I'm sorry.' Cue the stupid 'I'm sorry.'! They said it over and over and over again. I hated it. But I moved on. I had two kits with Silversong: Sloefur, and Wrenkit. What, you don't remember Wrenkit? He died before you were born. An owl got him. Back to 'I'm sorry.' again! I hate those stupid words! Then it happened again! Rainstorm died, and it was all because of you! My life has been nothing but misery since the day you were born! So don't just say 'I'm sorry.'! I'm not just something to feel sorry for! I now have another living kit, Cedarkit! I can be happy! So just go away and stop ruining my life!" Houndfang roared. Darklight ran, taken aback. It had been terrible to almost lose Brownfur. Houndfang had lost _four_ of the most important cats in his life.

Maybe there was a reason that Houndfang was Houndfang.

…

Darklight raced through the pines, a wad of blood-drop in his mouth. He recoiled at the bitter taste of the juices. Pain suddenly erupted in his foot, and he realized he had stubbed it on a root.

Something brushed past him, but he couldn't determine what it was or where it was going before it was gone. Darklight's heart pounded. Around him was darkness, concealing everything around him. In the darkness, cats could do anything, _anything_ , without being detected. Darklight shivered. The shadows weren't the right place for him, not at all. He needed to get back to camp _now_.

Darklight ran even faster, barely breathing. He had to get to camp, had to leave this terrible, terrible darkness. A sudden flare of heat scorched his fur. He stopped, confused. A wall of fire blazed behind him, but something about it felt…odd. Since when did fire travel in straight lines? Why wasn't it spreading? A sudden chill ran down Darklight's spine as he realized who could've made this. Dashing toward the place where the fire seemed to begin, he saw Brightflare staning by a fallen tree, her back to him. Brightflare raised a paw over the tree, and a fire instantly rose from it. Brightflare tensed, seeming to concentrate, and the flames spread down the tree, and into a circle around a clump of bracken. The circle tightened, and Darklight heard a squeal. Brightflare raced to the bracken, and in a heartbeat, she pulled out the singed body of a mouse.

Darklight tried to reassure himself. _It's only a mouse. She isn't going to do that to us…is she?_ He winced his tail accidentally brushed a twig. What would Brightflare do if she found him spying on her?

"Darklight?" Brightflare inquired, turning to face her brother. "What are you doing up this late?" The fire sputtered out behind her. "I myself am doing a little hunting." _Yeah. Hunting. Like you need fire just to kill a mouse,_ Darklight thought.

"I'm getting some herbs." Darklight replied, spitting out the blood-drop.

"And I suppose Bluefire enlisted you to go out in the middle of the night and gather these strange herbs that I've never seen before?"

"Creamwhisker is a medicine cat too, you know!"

Brightflare snorted. "Hardly."

"Well, she is one whether you like it or not, but she didn't tell me to get these. Duskleaf did, in a dream."

"Oh? Tell me about it, will you?"

Darklight described his dream to Brightflare, giving her a pleading glance. Maybe she would heed his warning. Maybe she wouldn't destroy the Clans. But still, the hungry look in her eyes in Darklight's dream still reverberated in his mind, making him doubt that her future would ever be nonviolent.

Brightflare gave him a long, angry look, honing in on the blood-drop lying beside his feet. Fire flared up from the undergrowth below, forming a wall around Brightflare and Darklight.

"So, Darklight, you've lowered yourself to this. To poison. Poison you must be immune to." Brightflare growled.

"This isn't poison! And I'd never poison Brownfur!" Darklight protested.

"Oh, you would if you learned that the survival of the Clans depends on her. You'd poison her in an instant to become the savior of the Clans."

"No! Just let me take this to her! She's my sister, and I care about her!"

"Yet I'm your sister too, but you don't care about me."

"I didn't mean…"

"Can I see those herbs?" Brightflare asked, more of a demand then a question. Darklight lashed his tail, knowing that Brightflare would burn them the moment she touched them. Gathering his courage, he picked up his herbs and leaped through the fire that surrounded him, wincing at the heat. Instantly Brightflare dispelled her fire and leapt at Darklight, pinning him to the ground. Casually, she plucked the blood-drop from his jaws, the flowers instantly turning to ash.

"Oopsie!" Brightflare giggled. Darklight pummeled at her chest, but her grip did not loosen.

"Why are you doing this? Why do you want Brownfur dead?" Darklight cried. Brightflare's face twisted into a scowl.

"You don't understand, do you? As much as you hate me, I'm not evil. I don't want to destroy the Clans. But if I ever do, it will be the right decision, the right choice. I will not destroy the Clans unless I have reason to do so. But you don't believe that, do you? You're hoping Brownfur will kill me. The whole Clan wants that to happen. Don't lie to me, _brother_." Brightflare spat out the final word as if it hurt to say it. "It's only a matter of time before Brownfur decides that killing me is the right choice. She'll die a horrible, painful death, burning until there is nothing left of her but ash. Do you want that to happen, Darklight? Think about it. Brownfur will die either way, but do you want to risk the lives of those who might help her try to kill me?"

And with that, Brightflare slunk back into the darkness.

 **Author's Note: I've been looking back at some of the earlier chapters, and I have realized that they are too short and their writing quality could be improved. Do you think I should rewrite some of the earlier chapters? It wouldn't be a full rewrite, just the addition of several hundred words. I won't be updating or a while because of school stuff, so that gives you a lot of time to decide.**


	21. Licking and Rules

**Author's Note: I know I said I wasn't going to update for a while, but…I just had to! And by the way, I'm a betareader now, so if you want me to betaread your story, just ask! Also, I'll be updating regularly again, and I have four new choices on my poll!**

Brightflare licked her paw. Her rhythmic licks warmed her up inside. Up, down. Up, down. A good, simple thing to do. Something to distract her from her troubles. Up, down. Up, down. A single clump of dirt fell from her paw, then another. Up, down. Up, down. Her paw glistened in the morning sunlight, but it wasn't enough. It was never enough, wasn't it? Up, down. Up, down. The bristles of Brightflare's fur seemed to make a smooth bed for her waiting tongue, making her wish she could sit there forever, licking and lickin-

"CUT!" Amberstar yowled. "THIS IS TOO BORING!"

"And why is it too boring? Please state your claim in a proper five-paragraph essay with a focused claim and appropriate textual evidence." Jaywhisker mewed.

"This is bad because it's boring and Brightflare is falling in love with her own paw!" Amberstar hissed.

"NO, NO, NO! YOU JUST GOT AN F! YOU DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD THESIS, OR TEXTUAL EVIDENCE, OR ANY SUPPORT WHATSOEVER!" Jaywhisker shrieked.

"Hey guys, will you stop it? Our ratings are going down from four stars to -45676 stars." Sloefur groaned, stepping into the camp. With a final glare at Jaywhisker, Amberstar rooted around through his bag 'o stuff (trademarked by GOAWAY company) until he found a suspicious-looking white bag. He put his muzzle into the bag, and his cheeks bulged from the amount of food he was stuffing into his mouth.

"Catsh of all the Clansh, Milanos are delicious!" Amberstar cried. Every cat within a thirty - mile radius facepawed.

"OMSC I need to record this!" Dawnshade cried. "Darklight, have you finished using my smartphone?"

"Oh, I lent it to this adorable pink she-kit with these incredible rainbow spots and golden eyes! I think her name was Specialkit!" Darklight replied. Dawnshade's eyes widened. Grabbing the old, dusty landline next to her, she dialed 911.

"There's been a breach of security! A mary-sue broke in and is carrying my phone!" Dawnshade wailed. A black military helicopter appeared in the distance, landed for a moment, and then took off again, with Specialkit inside.

"NUUUUUUUUUUU! MY PHOOOOOONNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE!" Dawnshade screamed, breaking several windows in the process.

Somewhere, a baby started to cry.

Meanwhile, the stock market was in shock.

"I purchased a hundred shares on that story, and now Mapleshade1018 ruined everything!" Firestar yowled. Studying the way the stock market rapidly decreased, Leafpool shook her head sadly.

"It looks like the Great Depression 2.0 is about to begin." She mewed sadly.

"My stocks…my money…" Greystripe moaned.

"Someone has to explain what is going on! I demand a character from Burning Bright to come here right now!" Sandstorm exclaimed. With a poof, Icestar appeared, looking calm and stately.

"I hereby charge you with violation of law number 736845767, which states 'Thou shall not break the fourth wall; the invisible force that keeps characters unaware that they are characters in a story. Violation of this legislation will result in termination, tribulation, or deportation.'" Icestar growled. Sandstorm motioned for Hollyleaf to speak.

"Your evidence is flimsy, and your case for persecution is even flimsier. Also, in law number 567857657887897687687, it is said that referring to a story that you know is a story does not violate law 736845767," Hollyleaf decreed.

"Well, Burning Bright is a FanFiction of the Warriors series, so law 567857657887897687687 does not apply. You broke the Warrior Code. Deal with it." Icestar snarled.

"FOR STARCLAN'S SAKE, I JUST WANT AN EXPLANATION!" Sandstorm sobbed. A goofy grin spread across Icestar's face.

"Well, it's obvious!" Icestar meowed.

"JUST TELL ME!"

"The thing is, today is April Fools' Day!"


	22. Epilogue

Firepelt ran.

She had no idea where she was going to go or how to find what she was looking for, but she knew she had to get as far away from Brightflare as possible. If the violet-eyed she-cat saw what Firepelt was doing. . . no. Firepelt wasn't going to think about it.

And to think that Firepelt had once thought that Brightflare would save the Clans.

But there was no time to think about all the things that Firepelt could have done better. If she couldn't manage to find some blood-drop that Brightflare hadn't burned yet, Brownfur would die. And, from what Firepelt had overheard Darklight and Brightflare talking about, the Clans would be destroyed.

Emerging into an unrecognizable clearing, Firepelt sniffed the air. The ShadowClan border seemed no further away than when she'd first crossed it. The trees loomed around her menacingly, their twisted branches casting queer shadows in the moonlight. One tree, an elm that had a jagged crack reaching down the middle, looked especially spooky – and a bit familiar. Firepelt blinked. Hadn't she passed that tree a few minutes ago?

There was no sense in denying it. Firepelt was lost.

With a groan, Firepelt sank to the ground. There was no blood-drop in sight. What the heck was she even doing out here?

 _"_ _Don't give up!"_

Firepelt whipped around, but saw no cat anywhere. Was she finally losing her mind?

 _"_ _Please! You can't give up!"_

There it was again! That voice! It wasn't just Firepelt's imagination!

 _"_ _If you give up now, all hope is lost!"_

This time, after the voice had spoken, Firepelt made out the partially transparent form of a battle-scarred brown she-cat with darker stripes and ear tips, and one darker tuft on her forehead. Her green eyes pierced through the misty air.

"Wh-who are you?" Firepelt growled nervously.

 _"_ _Just a spirit here to aid you,"_ the brown she-cat whispered.

All of a sudden, Firepelt was furious. "THANKS A LOT!" She screamed. "ShadowClan has been through so much and NOW you show up to help? NOW?"

 _"_ _Would you rather I not help at all?"_ the spirit snapped. Reluctantly, Firepelt shook her head.

"Fine," she snarled. "Help me. Tell me where the blood-drop is."

 _"_ _Point in the direction of the rising moon, and keep traveling until you reach a stream. Follow it downstream until you see the blood-drop,"_ the spirit commanded. Firepelt cocked her head, slightly confused as to why she was getting a clear answer instead of a vague prophecy. But who cared? Firepelt wasn't about to look a gift vole in the mouth.

"Um. . . thanks," she stammered. The spirit looked at her with sad eyes.

 _"_ _Firepelt, before I go, I must warn you. If you wish to survive the night, don't-"_ the spirit was cut off as horror shone in her eyes. Her gaze seemed far off, as if she was looking at something Firepelt couldn't see.

 _"_ _Dapplestar, please! I can explain!"_ the spirit cried. Firepelt lunged backward in fright, then turned around and ran in the direction of the rising moon.

When she looked back, the spirit was gone.

…

The rest of the journey was surprisingly anticlimactic. Firepelt grabbed a mouthful of blood-drop without being seen, and though the woods were eerily silent as she made her way back to camp, there was no sign of Brightflare anywhere. The only remotely bothersome event happened when Firepelt accidentally scratched her paw on a thorn. But despite the relief of finding blood-drop, she was still nervous. This just seemed. . . too easy. The spirit's warning rang in her ears.

 _"_ _If you wish to survive the night, don't-,"_

Don't what? For StarClan's sake, what had the spirit been trying to say? And what – or who – had interrupted her?

Though she was lost in her thoughts, Firepelt managed to make it back to camp safe and sound. Without wasting a moment, she squeezed into the medicine den. Bluefire's nest was empty, but Sloefur contentedly snored in his pile of moss. Creamwhisker had taken to sleeping outside lately.

Firepelt cast a glance at the empty space where Sunshade, her father, had slept when he had the sickness. He had lost his life to the disease five sunrises ago. Though the memory of him made her so sad that she wanted to curl up into a little ball and never move again, she cast her grief outside and turned to Brownfur. The young warrior's shallow breathing sent a tremor of fear down Firepelt's spine. She had to act _now_.

Trembling, Firepelt forced the blood-drop into Brownfur's mouth. Firepelt sighed in relief when she heard Brownfur swallow it.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a paw lashed out at Firepelt, shoving something bitter-tasting into her mouth. Instinctively, she swallowed.

And then there was pain. Pain, searing through Firepelt's throat and stomach. Pain, blocking out everything. Firepelt crumpled to the ground, foam streaming from her mouth. She tried to scream, but she could make no sound. Everything was spinning, and her vision went dark as another bolt of pain surged through her. The last thing she saw was a pair of cold amber eyes.

And then. . . there was nothing.

…

Two cats silently stalked through a twisted forest of darkness. One was a dark brown, broad-shouldered she-cat with orange dapples and brown eyes. The other was a huge black tom with yellow eyes and a white tail. Despite being larger than the dappled she-cat, he trembled in fear.

Finally, the tom spoke. "Why did you call me here, Dapplestar?"

Dapplestar studied the tom with narrowed eyes. "Maggottail, do you know how close we are to seeing the end of the Clans? How close we are to gaining four new members?"

"Yes, I do. V-very close, ma'am. I am delighted." Maggottail stammered.

"You don't sound very delighted," Dapplestar remarked.

"No, ma'am! I swear I'm happy!" Maggottail protested.

Dapplestar stopped in front of a dense clump of twisted, withered branches. "Are you unhappy here, Maggottail? Do you want to go to _StarClan_?"

Maggottail stiffened. "No! NO! NEVER! I'm as loyal to the Dark Forest as you are! I'll do anything to prove it to you!"

" _Anything_?" Dapplestar mused, her brown eyes gleaming.

"Anything!" Maggottail promised.

Without saying a word, Dapplestar led Maggottail through the dense branches into a clearing. Maggottail gasped as he saw Duskleaf pinned to the ground by a thick-pelted white she-cat and a grey tom.

"Oh, yes. Isn't this your friend, Maggottail? It was so strange that she _betrayed us_." Dapplestar hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "Finish her off, and I will not doubt your loyalty."

Maggottail froze, his eyes darting from his friend to his leader. Duskleaf said nothing, sadness glinting in her eyes.

"Go on, Maggottail. Unless. . . are you too _scared_?" Dapplestar taunted.

"I am NOT A COWARD!" Maggottail screamed. Glaring coldly at Duskleaf, he confidently walked to his former friend. In one swift movement, he sliced her throat open. Duskleaf convulsed, thrashing and kicking, before going still. In a few heartbeats, she faded away, leaving nothing left but a few bloodstains on the ground.

"Good work, Maggottail. You may go now." Dapplestar purred. Maggottail ran off, his tail between his legs. Dapplestar turned to the two cats who had pinned Duskleaf down. "Featherflight, Silverhawk, you are dismissed." The two cats slunk away.

Dapplestar sat down, turning her gaze to the starless sky. _Soon, it will happen,_ she thought joyfully. _Four will join us, and fire will consume the Clans._

~ **END** ~

 **Don't worry! This isn't the end of Burning Bright! I will be making a sequel soon: Rising Flames! You see, I've decided to split Brightflare's story into two parts. Making a sequel will give me the fresh start I've been looking for, a partial freedom from the poor quality of the earlier chapters. Well, thanks for reading! See you soon in Rising Flames, and may StarClan light your path!**


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